The Most Dearest Her
by vivien7879
Summary: A group of elites from various places around the world were gathered together through different events, and with different reasons they were on the quest to slay the Three Prime Evils to save the world. Set in the time and events of Diablo 2.
1. Part 1, Chapter 1

Chapter One

**Lut Gholein**

"…Rumour says it that Andariel's Slayer is arriving at Lut Gholein today."

Nathaniel did not look up. He knew his co-worker Fara too well: she was trying to make him interested. **Well, I'm not**. Fara gave up her sword because she was disappointed that the Church of Light, which they both served, was corrupted by injustice; however Nathaniel knew very well that his boss still loved stories of heroes slaying monsters and standing up to evil to protect the weak. But Nathaniel was different. Nathaniel hated hero wannabes. So he decided not to look up, but asked his boss, "Do you want me to make something to give to him as a present? If so, what do you want me to make?"

Fara was a woman with bright red hair that looked like it was on fire, and leaf green eyes that were greener than any plant in the desert. She was beautiful, but tough, which may scare a man from approaching her. In the way she speaks, you would know that she was highly educated; and from the way she moves, you would know that she was not a typical woman. She was trained to be a holy warrior, and before she left the Order she was a champion. In combat Fara could take down many men. Now, she made a living selling the weapons that Nathaniel made and repairing armour for the city's guards and mercenaries.

"I heard the hero used magic to defeat the demoness, so maybe we should make a light dagger or sword, something easy to carry." Fara said, with a slight hint of a titter, "And _he_ is a _she_, so make sure it's pretty."

This seemed to have caught Nathaniel's attention, as he looked up to her with his eyebrows folded together. "I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you right. You want me to make it _pretty_?" He then looked back down, concentrating on sharpening the blade of the unfinished sword, "Seeing that you were, and still are, my boss, I'm not hugely surprised by women with great achievements. So don't try to make me interested with her gender, you know I won't be." He said, with a tone to show that he did not care at all.

Just like Nathaniel knew Fara, she also knew him too well. After all, she trained him when he was younger. Since then he was under her command, and Fara always talked about how he was no doubt one of her best soldiers when she worked for the Order of Zakarum. "I didn't mean to piss you off, or purposely catch your attention for that matter." She said, while examining the quality of his work on the sword, "I'm just excited that there's a hope that our world could return to peace. Atma lost her husband and son last month, and I can see that beneath her forced smile there is great sorrow, and all of us hope that such tragedy will not repeat itself. Maybe she can stop it happening again."

"Maybe," Nathaniel said, "Or, maybe she will die, like all the others."

Fara was stunned by his reply. She did not say anything but blinked, and a few moments later quietly, "Or maybe, you'd stop being so negative." The comment obviously upset her. She turned around facing away from Nathaniel, but Nathaniel knew that perhaps he has gone too far. However, he was not about to apologise either. Before Nathaniel could think of anything to say, Fara already decided to send him out of the workshop, "Why don't you take these swords to Greiz? He ordered them for his newly recruited men."

Nathaniel knew that this was an order, not a favour. And since he also knew he had ruined her day, such punishment was probably one of the lightest.

Greiz was the captain of the town's hired guards. The sellsword was very tough, stubborn and would probably beat one up to prove a point. Though he was secretly a kind man, and in such business it was difficult to be kind, Nathaniel did not get on with him due to the fact Nathaniel hated chivalrous attitudes, and Greiz was always telling his men to be heroes.

After he put the swords in a sack, Nathaniel stepped outside into the heat. Although a blacksmith often stood next to the fire and dealt with molten iron, the temperature of the desert was still ridiculous. The dry sand offered no cooling effect once the sun was up in the sky, if anything Nathaniel wondered if the sand actually reflects the sun's heat. But compared to the deserts outside of Lut Gholein, the fact it was next to the sea made the town relatively cool. People call Lut Gholein the "Jewel in the Desert", as it prospered in such harsh terrain.

The city built its wealth on trading and tourism, but recent events of monsters appearing all over the World of Sanctuary did Lut Gholein enormous damage, both in the subjects of economy and welfare. Jerhyn, the young leader of Lut Gholein, refused to open up the city until the both city and desert were safe, as he did not want to risk more lives. But Andariel's death meant that the trade route to the west would be again opened and free to pass, which Nathaniel guess was probably why the heroine now travelled here.

When he arrived at Greiz's place, the captain was busy training new mercenaries. Nathaniel swore that each recruit the men were getting younger. "Here you go Greiz, ten brand new crystal swords." Nathaniel put down the swords from his back, "Test them later and tell Fara if there is any problem. I doubt it, 'cause I made them."

Greiz signed to receive the order, and said to the young men standing in the training yard, "This man is the best blacksmith I've ever seen, and he used to be a holy warrior! He used to slay hundreds of monsters that rise from the graves without effort and injury." Greiz said, "Though, he has given up his sword, but you will still respect him none less."

"Greiz, stop it." Nathaniel quietly said, "I don't care about how you want to train your new men, I just don't want you to put wrong ideas into their head. They'd only lose their lives if you keep pushing them to be heroes."

"Or they actually become heroes and receive the glory and respect that they deserve." Greiz gazed into Nathaniel's eyes with both respect and contempt. "Just because you don't fight anymore, doesn't mean you forgotten what it feels like needing a dream to survive the battlefield; what it feels like to need a purpose when you are facing those horrific monsters."

Nathaniel looked away, "How can I forget? I lost my sister because of it." He took the signature from Greiz's hand and said, "I hope those swords can protect your men a little better than you can."

He walked away. He could not bear to look at those young men, as he was once like them. He had seen death many times, but no matter how many times he had, one can never get used to it and that was what he saw on their faces. He used to have a dream, but it did not matter, because one cannot survive a deadly strike no matter how big a dream they had.

Nathaniel knew that his negativity brings everyone down, as everyone else lives on the hope that the world would be saved by some sort of hero. The idea of everyone would die, of children could not live to experience romance, were so terrifying that only made Diablo, the Lord of Terror grown stronger. But Nathaniel could not fool himself anymore. He lost his poor little sister because he wanted to be a hero, so he knew better than anyone how naive and selfish the dream was.

"Surely there must be somewhere I can find a guide, or at least someone who know the land which they live in?"

"My job was to take you here safely. Why don't you rest for a bit first?"

"And I thank you for it, but you know full well that I don't have the luxury nor do I have the time. The faster I finish our business here the sooner we can move on and I'm sure this is what the people want as well."

As Nathaniel walked past, he overheard the conversation between a middle-aged man and a teenage girl that did not look older than eighteen. The young girl had fair skin and long dark hair falling down her back, but she was wearing a stone coloured hood so he could not see her face. Standing next to the two was an old man in grey cape, and he looked full of wisdom but weary in his eyes, maybe from a mixture of old age and travelling. Nathaniel assumed that they are tourists or traders from the west.

The girl seemed to notice Nathaniel as well. She approached him, "Excuse me. Do you know where I can find a guide into the desert?"

Only when she was closer did Nathaniel noticed that her hair covered the right side of her face, but the left eye that was looking at him was a beautiful shade of pale blue with hints of lilac and grey. It reminded him of the colour of dusk and of cloudy sky that rarely appeared in Lut Gholein. Nathaniel wondered why she would keep her hair on her face like that, she was obviously divine, and though her only exposed eye covered a large part of her face, the rest of the features created a perfect harmony of beauty.

Before Nathaniel could reply, the girl looked back at the old man, "And perhaps a tavern to rest. We just travelled from the west across the desert, I'm sure Deckard Cain is very tired."

"Hayleigh, I insist that you rest a few days first. You barely slept for the last few months, and even though you are young, your body can not survive on no sleep or strength." The old man said to her, "Please, you were thin the first time I met you in Tristram and you have lost weight since. At least have something to eat."

Only after the old man mentioned it, Nathaniel noticed how skinny the girl was. Even under a cape, one could see that she was nothing but skins and bones; she was not tall but she appears to be long. She must weigh nothing. "There's a inn near the town centre, the best in Lut Gholein ran by a kind woman called Atma. I'm sure she will be able to sort out something for you guys." Nathaniel said, "As for a guide it will depends on where you want to go. I wouldn't recommend the desert though; there are dangerous monsters out there." Nathaniel thought about flirting a little, as the girl was so beautiful, "Besides, with skin so fair, you'd get sun burns, and that is very painful, believe me."

He heard the middle aged man chuckled, and the old one smiled mysteriously. "You don't need to worry about me. If you would be so kind and show us the way to the inn, perhaps the best blacksmith as well after, we would appreciate that greatly." The girl said while trying not to laugh, as if Nathaniel made a joke he did not realise. "My name is Hayleigh. That is Deckard Cain whom I'm travelling with and that is Warriv, the man who guided us from the west."

**Hayleigh**, **what a lovely sounding name**, **certainly suits her beauty**. Deckard Cain was a familiar name in Nathaniel's mind, but at the moment he could not place it, or where he had heard the name. "I'm Nate Al'keen. Lucky for you, I'm the blacksmith you're looking for. I'll be more than happy to show you around Lut Gholein." He shook their hands but for the girl he gently pecked the back of her hand instead. Nathaniel did not claim to be a man surrounded by women, but he wanted to impress her somehow.

"Also, we're looking for a woman called Fara." Deckard Cain said, "She deals weapons and armours if I remember correctly, perhaps you know her?"

"You are even more fortunate. Fara is indeed my boss." Nathaniel said, looking at the girl, "If you wish I can take you to see her first. May I ask what you want to see her for?"

Hayleigh smiled, though tiredly with a hint of sorrow. Nathaniel could not quite tell what was sad about her. At that second it looked like she was slowly dying inside, but with determination that was like burning flames. It was a strange feeling. "Nothing much, except any information on Baal and where Tal Rasha's tomb is." She said, "Let me reintroduce myself. I'm Hayleigh, and it was I who killed Andariel."

* * *

><p>That was an even stranger feeling. Now Nathaniel remembers where he had heard the name Deckard Cain. Around here, everyone talked about the last of the Horadrim who travelled with the hero that killed Andariel.<p>

To be quite honest, Nathaniel still could not believe that a girl, who looked like she could not even lift up a chair, and so young, could have slain the Lady of Anguish. Nathaniel had met many warriors and heroes in his life time, but never had he met such surprising character. **Maybe she has a baby face that makes her look much younger than she is**, he thought to himself, **even I'm considered young, when last year, before I gave up the sword I was only twenty-four**.

He continued to stare at the girl as she sat opposite Fara. She looked very elegant and graceful, which made him doubt her identity further. After she took off her cape, one could see that she was even thinner than estimated, maybe that she was naturally small boned but Nathaniel was sure that one cannot be that small and still healthy. The girl was wearing a long blue skirt with beautiful patterns and a split on the side, showing off her nice legs and allowing mobility. Her top covered her chest but showed skin on the waist and shoulders, and she was wearing refined jewelleries on her fingers, arms, ears and her neck.

"I still can't believe that you are Andariel's Slayer." Fara said. Clearly Nathaniel was not the only one in shock, "You are so beautiful, and so young! One would never imagine you'd kill the demoness by yourself. How did you do it?"

Maybe it was because Fara was a woman she sounded somewhat protective instead of amazed, even if her words were full of compliments. Nathaniel knew that she had similar tone of voice when he first met her as a student, when he was barely sixteen and she was in her late twenties. Even as a champion, Fara much preferred to be in a role of teacher. Nathaniel always felt that Fara liked him partly because to her, he is always that teenage boy, forever her student.

Hayleigh smiled politely, "I look younger than I am. I'm almost twenty." **That is still very young**, Nathaniel thought. However she continued, "But I did have some help from the Sisters of the Sightless Eye. Her name was Marvina and she was a great archer, without her I wouldn't have made it to Andariel's lair. Unfortunately she died from Andariel's poison, and I lost my eye in the battle."

She gently lifted her dark hair to expose her right eye, and Nathaniel heard Fara gasp. It was green where it was meant to be white and white where meant to be pale blue, Nathaniel could see the bloodstreams of the eye through where was meant to be pupil. Around the eye, it looked like the poison was spreading through the veins and arteries which showing through Hayleigh's pale skin with a very unnatural bright green colour. It was horrific, and completely opposite to the left side of her face. Now Nathaniel understood why she covered her face with her hair.

"Does that hurt?" Before Nathaniel realised it, he already asked the question which made him a little embarrassed.

Hayleigh puts down her hair, looked at him momentarily as if she was surprised at his question. **Why wouldn't she be surprised**? Nathaniel thought, **it's hugely humiliating that I even said it**, **not to mention it is inappropriate**. But the girl only replied gently, with a hint of a faint smile, "Well, I can manage."

"Unfortunately for Hayleigh Andariel's poison has no antidote." Deckard Cain said slowly, with his hoarse voice, "However fortunately, she can use her magic power to suppress the poison and prevent it from spreading to the rest of her body. The poison-"

"My eye is not important. Like Deckard Cain said, I can control it." Hayleigh interrupted him, "I understand that there are monsters appearing here just like in the west, and I think we can stop them from appearing. You see, Deckard Cain and I are convinced that someone is trying to wake up and free Baal from Tal Rasha's tomb, and the only way to stop this happening is if I get to it first."

Everyone knew the legend of Tal Rasha. He was the leader of the Horadrim who hunted down the second of the three Prime Evils, Baal, Lord of Destruction, and bound the devil within himself with a damaged soul stone. The other mages sealed Tal Rasha in a tomb with magic power and separated the only key to enter the tomb.

"So you are looking for the key... You need it. You need to find the pieces of the Horadric Staff, and the Horadric Cube to put them together." Fara mumbled, "But even if you do manage to find all three items, you don't know where Tal Rasha's tomb is? It is hidden in one of the seven tombs what were built; and the other six are full of dangers to punish those that dare to seek Baal... How would you know which one it is?"

"Let me worry about that. In the meanwhile, I need a guide." Hayleigh said with a heavy tone. It was hard to imagine a girl so young and radiant could sound so serious and demanding, "I need to go to the Halls of Dead, the Sand Maggot's Lair and the Claw Viper's Temple. And someone to assist me and this guide, as a kind man has informed me that it is extremely dangerous out there." Her eye moved to Nathaniel, "And perhaps something to shield me from the sun, apparently sun burn is very painful."

Nathaniel felt he blushed a little. **C'mon**, he told himself, **you're a grown man now, don't blush like a little boy**. "I was only trying to warn you. Seriously, you are insane." He channelled the embarrassment and discomfort into some sort of... frustration and rage, "You sacrificed your eye and you gave up your youth... And now you want to risk someone else's life? You're endangering two lives just to achieve something that is almost impossible. Maybe your youth has made your arrogant, but Tal Rasha's tomb was not discovered in over a two hundred years for a very good reason."

He was not quite sure why he was so angry or where the irritation came from; nor was he the kind to be scared of danger and to hide in a safe bubble. It just kind of happened. Unexpectedly, Hayleigh replied to his outrageous comment, "Well, someone has to do it. Or do you enjoy watching villagers die? I'm only wondering." You could not hear anger or viciousness from her voice, but you could sense contempt and attitude, "Maybe if you had done it, which I assume wouldn't be too difficult for you considering those arms of yours, I wouldn't have to risk mine, or anyone else's life."

**That's it**. "So because I don't want to go out and slit some monsters throat, I become a monster myself and enjoy watching people die? Just because I'm not _insan_e like you, I'm automatically considered as a coward? You may have slain Andariel, doesn't mean you have the right to insult everyone, little girl."

Hayleigh gently laughed for a few seconds, "I didn't insult you or call you a coward; you did that yourself." She said, "And maybe I'm young and I'm insane, but at least I have a goal to live for. What's yours?"

"Stop talking already, it's not going to get the job done." Deckard Cain used a surprisingly loud voice, considering he could barely stand up, to interrupt the two. "You two are both young, so I can understand that you have the urge to argue. Fara, about this guide," He made the two turn their head to look at Fara, "The last time I heard there were no survivors returning from the desert, nor is there anyone who has been to all three locations that is still alive. But there must be a way? Perhaps a document of some sort?"

Maybe it was just Nathaniel's imagination, but for that moment Hayleigh lost all her energy that she had when she was arguing, but still retained a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"Even with a document the locations are still difficult to find." Fara replied to Deckard Cain's question, "But your information was wrong and there is someone that fits perfectly to your description. And you're looking at him now." She nodded towards Nathaniel's direction.

"W-_what_?" When all heads turned to him, Nathaniel was stunned and surprised, more surprised than he was earlier today, mostly because he never thought Fara would do this to him. He startled, "You are _joking_ right, Fara?"

"You are perfect. When you were helping around two years ago, you have been to all three places, and I trust you still remember the way. And since I trained you in combat, I have faith that you would be able to assist Hayleigh in this dangerous quest." Fara folded her arms together, "Why aren't you happy? You're travelling with a very pretty girl."

He felt Hayleigh's judgemental stare, which he was trying to avoid and ignore. Deep down Nathaniel knew that he could not refuse. Fara spoke the truth. He had indeed returned from all of those places. She knew that because she sent him out there. And it was also true that he was a good fighter in combat, after all she taught him how to use a sword and shield.

Most importantly, Fara was not only a mentor to him, but also his family. When his sister died, he lost the last of his family and those were his lowest days, but Fara invited him to be her partner, gave him a job and trusted him with the business. Throughout this time, she never judged him for giving up his sword. He had known Fara for nine years now, and he knew that Fara still spread the justice that they both believed in, in the hope of finding someone like Hayleigh to end all misery in the world. Not to mention her respect for Deckard Cain, the wise Horadrim that knew more ancient arcane knowledge than anyone alive.

**I really don't have a choice**. If he did not accept it now, Fara could force him with threats and commands, which would only make their relationship awkward. "Fine." He sighed, "But only as a guide, nothing else. I don't want to be named in any celebration if we were to return."

"As long as you are able to locate the three items it is more than good news. It is reassuring that Hayleigh will be travelling with someone that would able to keep her safe, or at least safer than she would be alone." Deckard Cain said very quickly, almost as if he was trying to change the subject before Hayleigh could think of anything to say. **And the girl was sharp**. "Well I'm glad that this is sorted, we are truly fortunate. Now, if you don't mind, this old man needs some rest. Fara, would you be so kind to show us the way to the hotel?"

"Certainly." Fara said, Nathaniel thought that she caught the hint.

* * *

><p>"<em>Why would you do that to me<em>, _Fara_?"

Fara had known full well that as soon as she returned to the workshop, Nathaniel would fire questions at her. She knew him too well, he could never had keep quiet when he felt unfair and his short temper had gotten him into trouble many times when he was a teenager. She knew his hatred towards the likes of Hayleigh, so she was prepared with replies that even though would not satisfy him, would at least answer him, "It's nothing personal, I only wanted to help them as much as I can."

"So you decided to _sell_ me out to do so? You know that I couldn't refuse!" Nathaniel was furious, and Fara knew she was guilty. "You knew that I hate all this and I _hate_ people who are arrogant enough to think that they can beat evils. She thinks that she can find Tal Rash'a tomb to _defeat_ Baal!"

"Well maybe she _can_, have you ever thought of that? And the only way to give her a chance, or any of us for that matter, is to help her find it." Fara's voice started to rise quite rapidly, "You saw determination in her eye, don't you dare lie, you saw it as well. She was able to kill Andariel, which proves that she has the ability; she was willing to sacrifice her eye for what she believes in, which shows that she has faith and drive. Why can't you see that? Why can't you just stop being so selfish and think of others?"

"_I'm selfish_? Listen to yourself, woman, I _don't_ want to be a hero and that makes me selfish?" Nathaniel was filled with rage, perhaps the anger came from a misunderstanding but Fara knew that she has triggered something that he had been trying to suppress, "I was selfish when all I wanted was to be a hero, to have songs dedicated to my bravery and poems about my legacy, and how did that end? Avanessa's death! So don't you tell me I'm selfish!"

Fara folded her eyebrows. She knew that he had taken his sister's death so hard, and though it saddened Fara as well she did not think it was right for him to give up on life. "She didn't die because of you, why do you always blame yourself for that? She would want you to save your people from the evils that are spread throughout the world-"

"She would want her family to be with her when she was lonely. She would want to stay alive!" Nathaniel said, "She was my sister, my only family, how do you not get it?"

"Because I want to stay alive too!"

The line stunned Nathaniel, Fara could see it, and maybe it was because he never thought of it like that. **He was always too stubborn to think like that**. "I know exactly why you refuse to pick up the sword again… Damn it Nate, you talk about it all the time." Fara said, "But have you forgotten the reasons why you picked up the sword at the first place? Was it all because you want the glory, and none was because you wanted to protect the people… to protect your sister, your family?"

She saw Nathaniel sighed, and took a deep breath. She continued, "This is your chance, not to be a hero, but to protect everyone from the fear that walks outside the city. This is your chance to do what you were meant to do, a chance to show that your sister didn't die for nothing. Here," Fara turned around and carefully took out the sword that she prepared for him, "I want you to have this. Do you recognise this?"

"Of course I do. It's your old sword, after all these years it still doesn't need to be sharpened." Nathaniel gazed upon the perfection of the sword. The sword was in its crimson leathered scabbard with rubies, garnets and gold embedded upon; the hilt was wrapped with black leather for perfect grip and at the top there was a red crystal. Nathaniel did not need to take it out to know that the blade was made of the steel from Arreat Summit. "I remember the day you received it to become a champion… The Great Sword, the Atlantean, which is enchanted with magic that gives great strength to its master… You really want me to have this?" He looked up, and stared straight into her emerald eyes, "This sword defines you, it is the evidence of you legacy! You said so yourself when we first left the Order."

Fara smiled, and handed him the sword, "Pray to it as if it has life, and it will give you power when you most need it in return. Take it, I trained you to fight and now I'm giving you the last piece of help. Use this to protect the girl. When you are out there you'll be the only person who can save her, and we all need her to stay alive." She said, "May my legacy be enough to protect you, and her."

* * *

><p>"These are the documents I know of regarding the Horadric Staff. They are dated but since no one has entered the tomb ever since it was built I would safely assume they are still accurate." Deckard Cain pointed out the maps, "They build them like a maze and created powerful creatures to guard them. The idea that no one would be able to find all three items there you must be very careful."<p>

He wanted to give Hayleigh everything he knew before she set off on this dangerous journey. Unfortunately he knew that he did not know enough to completely ensure her safety. It saddened him, to see a girl so young carry so much on her back, risking her life in her youth and losing opportunities to live. "You will come to the Halls of Dead first. As named, the dead will walk in these halls, and god knows what they are capable of." He said, taking a drawn picture of a cube with detailed patterns on its side, "You will find the Horadric Cube here. It is a-"

"It's a powerful magical cube that can create wonders if you put the right items within. To put together the staff you will need its power. It is located in the second level of the hall." Hayleigh finished his sentence for him, and smiled softly, "You've told me a dozen times already, Cain, I'm sure I'll know what to do when I'm out there."

From the few months he has spent with the girl, Deckard Cain had learnt that even though she was beautiful with a gentle heart, she was also tough and impatient; after all she was still a child. But there was one thing she was not: she was not as strong as she appeared, even if she tried to cover her vulnerability with her attitude. In his life Deckard Cain had learnt how to see through one's heart and desire, yet he had never met anyone as good as Hayleigh when it came to hiding true emotions. However, after what happened in Tristram he had some ideas on who she was: she was a girl who was terrified.

"Be sure that you pass on the information to Mr Al'keen. You wouldn't want him to die before you find all the pieces, since he's your only hope of catching up with Diablo." He knew that he should not mention it, but he was afraid that Hayleigh would try to complete the task by herself again as she did with Andariel, since she lied about Marvina's death earlier. The truth was that Hayleigh had sent the archer to return the Horadric Malus they found in the Barracks of Rogue Monastery to Charsi, the smith girl in the Encampment of Sisters of Sightless Eyes, while she battled through the Catacombs to Andariel's Lair herself.

Hayleigh slowly rolled up the documents that Deckard Cain had given her, and placed them in a backpack. She mumbled, "I don't need anyone else's help. That man doesn't even want to come with me, maybe I should just ask him to draw a map."

Deckard Cain understood that Hayleigh did not want to risk anyone else's life; she was one of the kindest souls he had encountered in his life, he suspected that it ran in the family as her older brother was also sweet and nice. It was very difficult not to like them; since the day the pair of siblings and their companion arrived at Tristram, Deckard Cain thought he had never met anyone so extraordinary like them: who upon the first gaze, not only made you want to approach them immediately, but also made you want to believe in them before they even spoke. Perhaps it was the faith they had in their eyes, or their smiles that could bright up the darkness; even now Deckard Cain could not place on what of their features made them so trustworthy and radiant.

Especially Hayleigh, the youngest and the only girl of three, with such a beautiful face and a pair of big, pale watery eyes that could make any man melt. She was only eighteen then, and though she was powerful and filled with arcane knowledge that surprised him, she had a sort of innocence and charm that only made one want to protect her, instead of placing even the slightest danger on her.

But time has changed, and Deckard Cain could not stop relying on the hope that this heroine would be the one to defeat Diablo for good, even if he knew that by doing so he increased her stress.

"You know he is the fastest way to get to Tal Rasha's tomb." He said, "You would be lost in the desert without a guide. There's no landmark unlike the West, and your trail would be covered and invisible within hours. You know you can't die here."

"But he doesn't even want to help. He has some sort of anti hero attitude that I just don't understand, besides he hates me." Hayleigh said, somewhat childishly, "I don't understand why that red headed woman believes in him so deeply. To me it looks like a guy who has the body and the power, but is just a coward inside. 'Don't want to be named in any celebration'? What kind of request is that? Does he really think that I cared to be named as hero?"

"Fara was once a champion and she only left the Church because it was corrupted. I would value this woman's opinion if I were you." Deckard Cain said, "Everyone has a story, Hayleigh, just like you have yours. Our ultimate purpose is to defeat Diablo, before he reaches his brothers. So you need to stop being so short sighted, and try to achieve these goals as soon as possible."

He knew that Hayleigh might not value Fara's words, but she would follow his guidance. Sometimes Deckard Cain thought that perhaps her power made her arrogant, as her rare gift was so well taught and from such a very young age that it made her more powerful and skilled than sorcerers who were twice her age and experience. But other times, Deckard Cain thought that she knew of her youth and its disadvantages, so she used knowledge from education to make up for her lack of experience. He always thought she was a very smart girl, but she was still young, not fully matured yet; he could not imagine the pressure that she carried and what it would do to the poor girl.

"…Do you think Diablo was already woken up Baal from Tal Rasha's body?"

A sudden question that Deckard Cain was not expecting to hear from the young girl, and a question he was afraid to consider. He turned around to look at the girl, but she was already staring at him with her big eye. She had such liveliness in her eyes when she first arrived in Tristram and now, a year later all the sparkle had fled. He saw both despair and hope from her eye, and that was basically her character: conflicted.

"I truly hope not." It was the best answer he could give, "But Diablo will need to rescue both his brothers in order to open the gate to Hell. He would not stop for anything to achieve it, as he needs to be in Hell to regain his immortality."

Hayleigh looked down. She had heard this answer many times, but Deckard Cain thought that maybe she still hoped that he would say something more positive. "Thank you, Cain," A few moments after she looked up, this time she had warmth in her eyes, "you travelled such long journey with an aging body, that must be so tiring, I can't thank you enough. You helped us so much, all three of us."

"Don't thank me, this is the least I can do. I just wish-"

The words were difficult for Deckard Cain to say: she and her companions had suffered so much already yet he knew so well that the suffering would only get worse. They were all so talented, yet these talents did nothing but ruin their lives. He could not tell her that, because he hoped that she would never understand how fortunate and unfortunate they were.

"I… I just pray that God could give you some more blessing."


	2. Part 1, Chapter 2

Chapter Two

**Dry Hills**

As the guide, Nathaniel was given the power to choose both the time schedule and pathways. Hayleigh arrived at Nathaniel's place in the early hours of the morning to prepare for the journey. "We'll mainly be travelling during the day time, mostly during sun rise and sun set." He said, checking all the equipment and supplies, "It will take about a day or two, if we walk fast, before we reach the Halls of the Dead. During that time I will tell you everything I know about killing the undead."

Hayleigh picked out a long piece of white fabric from the sack that he had packed for her, "And what is this for? An unnecessary long scarf that makes strangling me a little easier?"

"No. That's for you to wrap around yourself so you don't get sun burnt. I wasn't joking about the pain that comes from sun burn, and you need to be on top of your game when we get to the Halls of the Dead." **I can't believe I said it like that**, Nathaniel thought, **I was just trying to be nice and now it sounds like the total opposite**.

"I actually thought it was one of your bad pickup lines." Hayleigh put down the fabric, carefully checked her staff and her dagger that was placed behind her back. She glanced at Nathaniel and said casually, "Did Fara bribe you with that sword? It's pretty shiny. I heard the Atlantean was made long ago and only passes down through achievements, from the greatest teacher to their greatest student."

Nathaniel self-consciously touched the sword. He was a little surprised that Hayleigh would recognise it even from the scabbard and the hilt. Perhaps it was the stones and jewels that gave it away. "Fara gave it to me so you won't get hurt. Good eye though." He then realised the rune words on Hayleigh's weapons, which was a bigger surprised, "Is that… rune words for _Heart of the Oak_ and _Fury_? How do you have such rare runes?"

Nathaniel had seen runes before, the crystals with magical patterns within said to be created a long time ago. Common runes could be seen in markets and shops, but a higher level rune was extremely rare, and those are the ones that people would trade their lives for. It was said that certain combination of rune words would create magic more powerful than singular runes and Heart of the Oak and Fury both contains legendary runes that Nathaniel thought only kings could possess. **I guess she did kill Andariel**, **shouldn't be surprised that she holds rare items. After all, they're writing songs about her**.

Hayleigh looked at the runes, and hesitated. Nathaniel was not sure why she hesitated or what she was thinking, maybe his surprise came across rude. "They're gifts from my brother. He doesn't need them anymore so he gave them to me."

She had implied that she did not want to talk about it further. Nathaniel assumed from that answer that something happened to her brother; perhaps he died, which made him wonder that perhaps they are not so different.

After saying goodbye to Fara and Deckard Cain they set off heading north, but all that was in front of them were mountains of sand that all looked identical. "I assume you are sure we are going this way." About two hours into the journey Nathaniel heard Hayleigh ask, but her voice was so soft and gentle he almost was unable to hear her words.

He looked back to her, but his mind blanked when he realised that even under all those fabric that covers her features and her skin, her beauty was still able to shine. He wondered if she could ever be plain, that perhaps even as corpse it would still be impossible for one to move their eyes off of her.

"So? Are you sure? This isn't very reassuring when you don't say anything."

Hayleigh's voice woke him from her beauty, "Erm, what? Oh, sorry." He only just realised that he temporary lost his mind, "Yeah it is this way. Everything looks about the same in the desert. Is that what you asked?"

"I can see you have very high level of concentration…" Hayleigh mumbled, and Nathaniel pretended he did not hear due to embarrassment.** This is such a stupid idea**, he thought to himself, **really stupid**. Nathaniel was no lecher, and though he had seen countless beautiful women, he had never stared at, or wanted to stare at a woman this much. Yesterday when he agreed to accompany her, the possible distraction due to her face was the last thing on his mind. It annoyed him that every time she looked at him it made him feel embarrassed to be a man.

In order to get rid of this awkwardness, Nathaniel approached the problem like a man by offering a change of subject, "So," He said, trying to sound cheerful and normal, "what does having only one eye feels like? No depth perception and all."

**I am **_**such**_** a genius. Why not change the subject into something more horrible to talk about? I could also ask her if she thinks the poison suits her eye.**

Hayleigh did not speak, but stopped and looked behind at her trail that was left on the sand. Suddenly the sand started moving up against gravity in a circular pattern, making the sand fall in the opposite direction of the wind. A giant cat-like creature jumped out of the sand, holding a whip in one hand and a shied in another. The feline monster was well equipped with heavy armour, making it looked almost like a man. Its face folded together when Nathaniel looked upon its eyes and made a hissing noise, showing its sharp teeth and a murderous scent.

Moments after a dozen others appeared from the sand, surrounding the pair of them and closing in slowly. "It's a trap," He said, "I heard that they attack travellers, never thought they would bury themselves in sand."

"You don't say." Hayleigh replied with sarcasm, "What are they?"

"They're Sabre Cats, found in jungle places in Kahjistan. They never used to attack or threaten human lives, but… So did a lot of other monsters." Nathaniel slowly took out his sword, its blade reflected sunlight which made it looked like it was glowing with magic. "Be careful, if you die I will be in big trouble."

"I appreciate your concern. How do I kill them?"

"Spoken like a true killer…" Before Nathaniel could reply, one of the Sabre Cats had already unleashed its attack, running towards Nathaniel while slashing its thick leathery whip, which it was rumoured to be made of past victims. Nathaniel blocked the attack with his shield as a reflex action, but another Sabre Cat had already ran behind him, using its whip to disable his left arm by wrapping the whip around it. As the left arm was pulled back Nathaniel used the motion to accelerate the right, putting his sword straight into the heart of the Sabre Cat in front of him, quickly changed the direction he held the handle and pulled out the sword by elbowing the Sabre Cat's face. While turning the blade to conveniently cut the whip that was holding his arm, he then threw the sword in air to swap the direction he held the hilt, caught it with his forehand and slit the Sabre Cat's throat in half.

"They're just animals, so just make sure their hearts stop." Nathaniel was pleasantly surprised at how sharp the blade was as he sliced off the Sabre Cat's head with ease after only trying to cut out its throat, also at how relaxed and comfortable he was in combat considering he had not used a sword in nearly a year. It gave him confidence and he was no longer worried about the rest of them, giving him the courage to make another joke, "This should be relatively easy compared to Andariel."

Maybe Hayleigh replied something, but Nathaniel was too busy to listen as he realised he was surrounded by three Sabre Cats immediately after he spoke, making him regret a little for distracting himself and maybe her as well. He speedily squatted down to dodge the attack aimed at his head from all three of the Sabre Cats, and used his shield to punch one of them in the stomach while the other hand swung the sword in an arc to kill it. Nathaniel then used his right leg as a pivot, quickly turned around towards one of the two that were left as the shield hit the other in the face, giving him some time to deal with a one-to-one battle.

"Do you need any help?" He shouted to Hayleigh, worried that she could not reply because she would already be dead. He did not have spare energy to lose focus at this point, as he learned that a year of gap really did slow him down a little. Before this would be a piece of cake, and even though it was not particularly hard now it just took him more effort than desired.

Thankfully the girl did reply, and with a tone that did not sound like she was struggling at all, "No thank you. Do you?"

While she spoke the Sabre Cat in front of Nathaniel stepped back a few meters. He laughed, "That's real funny. I guess this _is_ easier than Andariel and her minions. By the way, how did you kill her?" he bit his teeth tight as he rushed towards the Sabre Cat. The Sabre Cat used its shield to block his attack, but that was exactly what he wanted: he slid on the sand with the momentum he had just built up, passing beneath the Sabre Cat, and before it realised Nathaniel stabbed the sword through it, forcibly cutting the Sabre Cat in half through its waist.

When that adversary fell, he saw the last remaining Sabre Cat had already appeared in front of him. "Oh man…" He sighed, but it was too late to raise his shield, the whip had created a mark of blood on his shoulder. Although painful, Nathaniel could not feel the burning sensation of poison which was a relief, so he tried to suppress the pain and attack the Sabre Cat with his sword.

However the beast blocked the attack, which worried him. The Sabre Cat displayed a hiss, showing its sharp teeth as if it is getting more excited with the smell of blood. **This is dangerous**. Nathaniel knew that those creatures are like sharks, the smell of blood only makes them move faster with hunger.

Suddenly, almost in an instant, something really hot, hotter than the sand in this desert during day time, flew past his shoulder and ear, and directly hit the Sabre Cat in the face causing it to scream out a noise Nathaniel has never heard of. He then saw the Sabre Cat start to combust, and he could smell the feline hair burning in such high temperature. This left him confused, but as he turned around he saw Hayleigh standing behind him, in between dead bodies of other Sabre Cats and some shattered crystal like substance, pointing her staff at the his shoulder.

"What the- _seriously_?" Nathaniel did not know if his confusion came from the random fire ball that hit the Sabre Cat or because of the weird crystal on the floor mixed with blood; or the fact that while he was fighting five of Sabre Cats Hayleigh already took care of the other eight, or even that she had to rescue him which was hugely embarrassing.

Hayleigh withdrew the staff, while carelessly rearranging her hair, "I burnt her to death with fire," She said, pulling up her hood that must have fell in combat, "and then cut off her head to make sure she stayed dead."

It took a few moments before he realised she was answering his previous question. He now could feel his face blushing, but thankfully a hood was able to prevent her from seeing it.

"Do you need to get that healed? Otherwise it would only attract more of those weird cats. Besides, you probably don't want to get sand in it either."

It was only after Hayleigh asked him did he realise his shoulder was bleeding an unhealthy amount of blood, and since he noticed he started to feel the unbearable pain of the wound. "It's okay, I'll do it." He said, putting his sword to the ground and closed his eyes, started to mumble a spell he learnt when he was younger. A dark red circle with patterns appeared underneath where he stood, where the dead bodies of the Sabre Cats started to glow faintly. A transparent red mist appeared from each and moved towards Nathaniel's wound, and slowly the wound started to close, leaving only blood stain and a scar.

"Useful." He heard Hayleigh said, maybe she actually meant the compliment.

"It's a spell called Redemption." He explained while pick up his sword and placing it within the protective holder. He checked that no item was damaged, then he picked up the backpack and looked at the sky, "It purifies the souls of the unfortunate and uses it to heal the caster. There's not enough here to get rid of the scar, but a scar I can live with. North is that way."

Hayleigh followed his footsteps, "You're not gonna thank me for saving you?"

Nathaniel folded his eyebrows, luckily she could not see behind him.** What, thank you for embarrassing me**? **I just got saved by a girl five years younger than me**, **not to mention she defeated more enemies than me**. "I didn't ask you to save me. Besides, I had it all under control anyway." Nathaniel did not realise how stubborn he sounded until he said it. **Can I actually be more rude and horrible**?

"I know, I was just trying to speed up the journey. You are a better fighter than I thought." Hayleigh said, "Though you need to watch out when you move your arms, I think your brain knows what to do, or what you want to do but your body can't quite keep up the speed, leaving yourself big gaps momentarily which would be dangerous when you're facing more enemies."

"Alright, I get it, you want me to thank you for saving my life."

"No, I'm just trying to reduce the chance that you get hurt, or die." There was a hint of irritation in her voice, "Why do you keep thinking that I want to make you look bad? I get it, you hate me, but I'm just trying to help you… Unless you _want_ to die."

Nathaniel stopped and turned around. He found himself not angry but feeling more frustrated, though he did not know about what exactly, "I don't… It's not that I think…I just… You don't understand." He said, without thinking it through, "I don't hate you. You're still so young, you wouldn't understand what it feels like to lose the most important thing to you due to everything you worked so hard for."

He saw that Hayleigh's face twitched a little and he could see sadness filling her eyes. "So you gave up your sword? Because you couldn't find something else to replace the thing you lost."

"I lost my little sister. You can't replace that."

He continued to walk along the path, mostly because he could not look at her. The image of his little sister Avanessa's smile appeared in his mind, her first step, her first word, her first fall; Nathaniel thought he could take care of his baby sister after his parents died, as she was everything that he had. She was beautiful; it was a different beauty to that of Hayleigh, Avanessa was a classic beauty like a painting of a portrait. Nathaniel remembered that she used to smile a lot, so innocent and so sweet.

"I'm sorry… I didn't know." He heard Hayleigh said, "Did she die in an attack?"

Nathaniel paused. He knew that Hayleigh sounded sincere, but he was not sure how to say it; maybe because he always thought he could have prevented it if he had paid more attention. Since the day he saw her body he could not stop wondering what if he was there, what if he spend even a tiny bit more time with her, what if Ruben had never existed. But he knew that it was all too late, he will never see her smile again.

"No…" He eventually said, "No, she erm… She took her own life."

Avanessa was found dead with a dagger and both wrists slit, lying on her bed in the house that Nathaniel bought with the money that was given to him as rewards. She left a note by her side, with tear drop marks on the paper which slightly blurred the ink. Nathaniel remembered so well, too well, like it only happened yesterday.

Nathaniel felt his eyes starting to water, but he already decided to blame on the wind and sand if Hayleigh were to ask. "I never expect you to understand. You want to be a hero… Well, you are already, but I guess that's not enough for you. I used to be like you, and look at what I did to my only family. It's not you that I hate." **It's my old self**, Nathaniel finished in his mind.

Nathaniel was expecting some comeback comment from her but instead he felt her hand gently placed on his shoulder. The hand was cold even through the fabric, but somehow warmed up his heart a little. "I do understand, and I know you must feel terrible. I am very sorry for your loss." Hayleigh said, with a soft tone and a smooth, calming voice, "Perhaps you can take me to her grave when we return?"

He turned his head to look at her, and her eye glittered with genuine kindness and understanding. For a moment there he forgot how easy it was to get lost in her eyes, even if he could only see one of them. She had a faint smile on the corner of her rose-coloured lips, and her long dark hair reflected the sunlight, gently and freely moving with the wind.

"I am glad you that you told about it. About your sister."

She said, which interrupted his gaze. **I must look like such an idiot! **He thought to himself, quickly moving his eyes off her face. "Why? So you can make fun of me further?" Nathaniel tried to cover up his embarrassment, again, by sounding like it did not matter to him at all.

But she tilted her head slightly, and quietly gave him a cheeky laugh, "Well, before I thought you're just a jerk who hates people that risk their lives to save others, even though you're perfectly capable of ending misery. Now I know you're not."

Her sarcastic words somehow lifted up his mood. "See? You are making fun of me." He said, with a bit of chuckle within the words, "And I _knew_ you hated me."

"To be fair, you started hating me first." Hayleigh replied, revealing her childish and immature persona, "While most people are stunned when I tell them my ambition and amazed at my bravery, you gave me a lecture on treating life too poorly. I cried for ages when I was seven and my pet dog Honey died, how dare you suggest I have no heart?"

**And she tells jokes too**. Nathaniel was not sure if she intentionally changed the subject, but already he has forgotten all the sorrow that was in his head moments ago. **Maybe I was too quick to judge her**, he thought to himself, while purposely folded his eyebrows, gave a slightly confused face, "A dog named Honey?"

"It was golden, so my brother thought it's a reasonable cute name. It wasn't really our dog, but it replied to the name." Hayleigh said, "It was very friendly, perhaps too friendly. It liked to say hello and welcome any and every body, and this one time it wanted to say hello to a carriage, and… well, it didn't end very well."

Nathaniel found himself giggling, "Is that actually a true story?"

Hayleigh looked at him, with her eyebrows slightly raised. Her dusk coloured eye caught the sunlight and turned to glittery silver; with her pale skin, it almost looked like she was an ice goddess in the desert. "Why, do you not believe it?"

"If you don't mind me saying, it sounds a bit comical." Nathaniel thought about it and asked, "If your brother named a dog Honey due to the fact it's golden, then you must be from Westmarch area? As I recall only there is the honey golden, eastern places produce dark honey."

The girl's eye looked to the right, moments before she said with a surprised tone of voice, breaking her cold image, "How do you know that?"

**I actually surprised her**? **That was unexpected**. Nathaniel thought to himself, while explaining, "I travelled a lot in the last few years. Even though both Fara and I belonged to the Order in the eastern Kurast, we spent a great deal of time learning in Westmarch from those knights." He added, "However, I must say I prefer dark honey though: it's much sweeter and more flavour."

"Really? I liked the golden honey. My brother used to mix it with herbal tea for me when I was sick, to make it bearable to drink. I only tried the dark honey once, in Tristram, and it wasn't my taste." Hayleigh said, "So you and Fara retired from the Kurast and stayed the Lut Gholein? In between the Jungle and Westmarch?"

"That's right. Fara wanted to keep an eye on both places, and as she was raised in Kurast, she was greatly concerned with the level of corruption there by Mephisto." He said, "I was originally from Lut Gholein and we also did some work around the desert for a year or two as a service of the Order. So, with our knowledge of weapons and my ability to make them, it seemed to be a perfect place."

Hayleigh nodded gently, expressing her satisfaction and understanding of his answer. "I have heard a few things from Deckard Cain about Fara, though I didn't really fully understand the relationship between you two; it seems more than just teacher and student?"

"What? Oh, you wonder if there's anything more? No, no, no." As he worked out the question, Nathaniel was surprised though not at the question itself. He denied quickly, "I like Fara like a sister and respect her like a teacher, but I have never had romantic feelings for her. Besides, she's about ten years older than me at least, and to her I will always be a kid. Hence why I am here right now, being your guide."

"Then how come she's not married? Paladins are allowed to marry, right?" Hayleigh giggled slightly at his reaction, "It's a bit strange for a pretty woman like her to be single at such age, not to mention in the desert, which is practically the middle of nowhere... if you don't mind me saying."

"Fara doesn't need a man to live; she isn't that kind of the woman… which, I assume you could see, and understand." Nathaniel could see the source of her curiosity, but was confused due to the fact that the girl, who was travelling with him at this very moment, was the girl that killed Mephisto's most powerful granddaughter; but right now she was just a regular girl. "To be quite honest I don't know why Fara isn't married, and I never asked her either. Maybe most men find it intimidating to be with such tough woman."

Nathaniel heard the girl giggle some more, "Oh yeah, I forgot men are scared of women that they don't have power over. Except those Amazon women from the Twin Seas; I'd love to see how you would survive on the islands there."

He looked back at her, only to see her raised eyebrows and a smile full of sarcasm. "Are you saying that I'm scared of you?" He carefully asked, as he did not have a good feeling about the meaning of her words, but insulting her further would be the last thing he wanted to do, "I said _most_ men, not all men."

"I didn't say you're scared of me, just wondering if you are; though I am impressed that a man like you would be brave enough, to imply in any way that I _might_ be more powerful than you… which, by the way, I am going to take as a compliment."

Hayleigh shrugged casually, which only embarrassed Nathaniel for taking the question too seriously, when she was only playing with him. "…Why did you ask anyway? Are you worried that you might not end up finding a guy after all this is finished?" He could only think of using a change of subject hide his embarrassment, though he found himself curious about her reply.

But the girl did not say anything for quite some time, as if such a question reminded her of something sad. Nathaniel thought it was natural for a girl her age to be concern about love and relationships, especially as he had noticed how sharp and sensitive she is. **Maybe she did think about it** **and it is one of the things she gave up**, **like her right eye**, he thought to himself, **or maybe she once had a lover who she no longer is with**.

Nathaniel was then shocked about his concern and the fact he thought so much about it, even though the girl's eye was naturally so full of sorrow and the question was personal enough for her to decide not to answer.

Then, he saw her closed her eyes for a few moments before putting on a smile on her face while sighing quietly, "No real reason, just thought Fara is a pretty woman who should have countless pursuers, and was wondering if you were one of them so I can think of more ways to make fun you."

"In that case, I'm sorry to disappoint you." Nathaniel was slightly irritated at the fact that every time he thought to be serious, she replied as if all was a joke or another way to humiliate him, "Are you always like this with your friends? Making fun of them and make them feel like a fool in your mind?"

"I'm sorry, did I make you feel like a fool?" Her reply was so full of sarcasm it was difficult not to pick up, but when Nathaniel's irritation became more apparent, she smiled brightly and said, "But if you can pick up my sarcasm and feel annoyed then you're probably not a fool. You know what they say; 'only a fool doesn't know he's a fool being fooled.'"

Nathaniel felt himself melted a little when he saw that smile, for that instant he did not care about the humiliations and the embarrassments she made him feel, or the frustrations and danger she put him in; for that smile, he felt he had forgotten everything and nothing really matters, even if deep down he knew that she is a master of mind manipulation.

Fortunately for him that the discomfort from the dry and warm wind of the desert brought him back to reality.** You have to think of something say**, he thought, **quickly**, **otherwise you'd only look like a total idiot to her**. "I'm pretty sure you made that quote up." As it was the last thing she said, it was the first thing that came to his mind, "You are the strangest girl… no, you are the strangest person I've ever met. I'm really starting to wonder how you grew up and what the rest of your family is like!"

"Really? 'Cause everyone from my villages was like this."

**Maybe she already thinks I'm a total idiot**… **well**,** I'm not**. "You're not gonna get me this time, little girl." Nathaniel said, "Unless your village is full of freaks and psychos of Westmarch, which is hardly possible."

He heard Hayleigh sighed, "It's not so fun when your lies get caught, though technically my village was full of weird people. You know how those retired mages and knights of Westmarch are like, and old age doesn't help with it either."

"You grew up in a Westmarch retired residential village? Were your parents in the Royal Army of Westmarch?" As Nathaniel understood it, the retired residential villages were located in the countryside for those once glorious and honourable knights and mages to spend the remainder of their lives in peace and quiet. Such privileges were only given to those of great achievements as a reward for their service to the country. That explained why she is so well trained in combat at such young age, as she was taught by teachers who were well respected and considered the best.

"I don't know anything about my parents. People often tell me that when… my brother and I were still small, that we were brought there by a man who they said was kind and radiant like an angel, and he asked them to take care of us. He told them that our parents had died in a fire." Hayleigh said, "We don't know who he was, no one knew. I always thought that maybe it was just an ordinary man who found a kid and a baby, and those old men just imagined and glorified everything. After all, they were old, probably couldn't see very well anyway."

"So… you were raised there with your brother and no one knew anything about your parents?" Nathaniel was amazed and somewhat jealous that the girl was raised by the past knights and mages of Westmarch, because he had seen how magnificent and remarkable they were with his own eyes. He was also surprised that not only was she an orphan, no one knew anything about her parents. Judging from her talent and power, someone must have been at least a bit curious of the source of her ability.

Hayleigh shook her head, making some of her hair fall out of the hood and move with the wind, "Kind of. It's an unimportant detail. Everyone was kind to us. The old knights and mages knew about the danger outside in the world and how the peace was weakening, so he wanted to learn how to fight in order to protect me; turns out he was a natural. As for me, they discovered my talent when I unintentionally created a fireball and accidentally set a fence on fire when I was four, so they were more than happy to teach us."

"That must have been so great, being taught by the masters from such young age." Nathaniel expressed his envy, but with a smile on his face, "And be able to access such rich resources, learning rare skills and knowledge… You were truly fortunate."

"Fortunate?" Hayleigh's reply was different to what Nathaniel expected: she sounded like that word disgusted her or that it was the total opposite. Nathaniel could imagine the training must have been harsh and difficult, especially for young children; maybe that was why she was upset with the phrase.

"I guess you could say that. It's been a long time since I heard someone telling me that. Fortunate." She said, after a long pause, "Deckard Cain has always thought that. Since the day he met me, he knew that I was fortunate, gifted, but he never had the courage to tell me so. I could see the struggle in his eyes every time the words appear in his mind, even if he thinks I didn't know and will never understand."

Nathaniel did not understand that sentence. He could not grasp her character or personality, as whenever he thought she was arrogant, she revealed her humility; when he thought she was full of sorrow, she showed her lively and childish side. And when he thought he was getting to know her more, he realised though she told him so much, he is yet to understand anything important about her. At the same time he felt like she knew him so well already, even though they've only met two day ago.

"And why is that?"

He simply asked, but the girl gave him a mysterious smile.

"If I was so fortunate, then I wouldn't be here now, would I?"

* * *

><p>As night fell, the temperature of the desert decreased rapidly. Nathaniel saw Hayleigh put on a scarf having already put on another layer earlier, so he turned to take out a wool-like blanket from his bag and placed it on her. "We've travelled faster than I expected, and by this rate we will reach the Halls of Dead before noon tomorrow." He said, while looking around the area, "We can set up a camp there; it will shield us from the wind. I'd ask if you know how make fire, but I'm pretty sure that's a piece of cake for you."<p>

Hayleigh forced a smile; Nathaniel knew she was trying to distract him from the fact she was shivering, "Since you're being so honest, I will be completely honest with you right here. I know it's your home region but I _really_ don't like the desert so much."

"Fara said something similar when she first moved here, but it was a lot harder for her to admit that as I was her student." Nathaniel laughed at her comment, "It's not as nice as Westmarch, I know. But trust me, I'd rather be here than be in the jungles of Kehjistan. At least here you don't get mosquito bites all over your body without you realising it until it started to itch like hell. I heard they love fair skinned people."

"Great, I'll look forward to that. It's not like I choose to have fair skin." She said with slight irritation, which only made Nathaniel laugh more.** She is adorable**… **well**, **in a way**. "But my blood is so full of poison, maybe they'd die from just going near me. That'd be funny to watch, I'd be a walking mosquito killer."

**Oh yeah**, **Andariel's poison**… Nathaniel had forgotten about that, but her words made him curious, "So are you continuing your journey to Kehjistan after your quest here is done?"

She momentarily folded her eyebrows, and it took her a few second before answering the question, "If I have no choice, yes. Like I said, Deckard Cain is convinced that someone is trying to wake up Baal, so it would be natural to assume that if I failed to prevent such an event…" She paused, "Which I'd rather not to think about. The idea of Baal being released from the tomb, more powerful than before due to Tal Rasha's body… do you not think it is horrific?"

She spoke the truth. However, Nathaniel refused to believe that she had not thought about the consequences and plans for them. He had yet to figure her out but he had learnt that she was extremely smart and he should not underestimate her. It was clear that she knew information that she was not willing to share, but something in his heart told him to trust her that in time she will tell him what was relevant.

After they set up the tent and had some food, Nathaniel was concerned about how little she ate. "Before we left, Deckard Cain specifically instructed me to make sure you eat enough. If an old man had to say that, pretty sure it's quite serious. Look, you barely ate half the portion." He said to the girl, who was about to put down her food and pass it to him, "You need energy to get through the coldness of night, not to mention you need energy to fight the monsters that guards the Halls of Dead. Besides, think of the effort we made to carry the food."

At first she just looked at him, but not long after her eye moved to the right and had a smile on her face. "What's so funny?" He asked. Like always he could not figure out what she was thinking. "I'm being serious, you are unhealthily thin, and I think you know that. It's not like it will prevent monsters from attacking you just because you look like you have no flesh to feed on at all."

"No, I know… it's just you sounded a lot like him… my brother. He'd always sneak nutritious herbs or remedies into my food and drinks, because he thought otherwise I'd be underdeveloped and no man would ever find me attractive enough to marry." She laughed, and Nathaniel thought the laugh was so happy and truly from her heart, unlike her other smiles which sometimes looked either forced or paltered.

"Well, your brother did a great job, as I highly doubt anyone would deny your beauty." Nathaniel only realised he spoke his thoughts out loud after the sentence had ended, so he quickly covered up his inappropriateness, "Maybe I have to do that too then, as I don't want you to faint during important moments."

Nathaniel was impressed with himself on how well he prevented from sounding like a fool or blushing again. Hayleigh did not seem to notice his admiration, "I'm simply just full, and I promise I won't faint when you need my help." She said, lightly, "Besides, I only need to hold my staff. You however, need to wield that heavy shiny sword and move around, which I assume requires more effort. So if anything, you should have some more to stock up on energy."

Immediately after this she stood up and moved into the tent, leaving Nathaniel no chance to argue back. **Maybe Andariel's poison decreased her appetite**, after all it was the most powerful poison known in all Heaven, Hell and the Sanctuary. As he thought that, another question appeared in his mind: just how was she able to suppress the poison? Was it because she's abnormally powerful, or are there other factors? But Nathaniel knew that even if he asked her she would not answer, so he thought it best to leave the question to Deckard Cain when they return to the city.

_**If**_** we can return to the city**, he thought, looking back into the tent. Through the fabric he could still see her faint shadow moving: the way her long smooth hair flew, the perfect shape of her profile and how her arms, which were nothing but skin and bones, picked up items elegantly to prepare beddings. **She killed Andariel**, **one of the seven powers of Hell**, he reminded himself, **and I am not just any one who can use a sword**, **I am a respected knight**. **Have confidence**, **Nathaniel**, **you can protect her**, **and you will**;** the fate of the world depends on her**.

He finished off her dinner and put out the fire to prevent attracting unwanted company in the desert. As he entered the tent he saw that the girl had already done his bedding for him on the other side, and had already wrapped herself in some sort of furry material, presumably to keep warm. "I sleep light, so if you want to keep guard, you can wake me up whenever you feel like switching." She said, "Unless you want me to go first, in that case you will have to excuse me for looking like a furry animal."

"Don't worry about it, I know the area well and I ensured we'll be safe during the night. I used to travel alone around here, so you can sleep in peace." He looked at the bedding she made for him, "You know, the closer we sleep the easier it would be for you to keep warm. It's not like I will attack you during the night."

She slowly closed her eyes, as if she did not care about his suggestion, "I've been travelling in the desert for weeks now, with a middle aged man and an old man. I think I know how to keep warm by myself." She said, with a somewhat cheeky smile, "And don't think I don't know what you're trying to do, you are just pushing your luck there, my friend."

Nathaniel slipped himself into the warm blanket, "Alright, only trying to make your life easier, that's all." He laughed quietly to himself about her spotting his intention, and the fact that he even thought it might succeed at all. **Worth a try though**. "I will wake you before sunrise, so we can prepare to leave when it's at best condition. And on the way…"

As he spoke the girl had already fallen asleep. She must have been exhausted travelling in the desert like that, as it requires more effort to move in sand than on grass, not to mention keeping up his pace, which was the reason why they are ahead of his original schedule. He smiled gently, and closed his eyes tried to rest, while trying to not think about her at all.

* * *

><p>Nathaniel woke up before he planned, not because he heard anything strange from the surroundings but he felt somewhat energetic and well rested, though he had only been sleeping for a short time. He looked around. The sky was still dark and from past experience he estimated it was perhaps an hour before dawn.<p>

He then turned around and saw Hayleigh's face. It caught him by surprise at that instant because she slept so quietly he had forgotten about her. Her face was so peaceful and still, like a statue of a sleeping goddess. He did not notice how long her eye lashes were before, but he knew that it was not a trait that people of Westmarch carry; it reminded him how he could not work out her race, since she seems to have the best of many, so perfect as if she was a child of angels.

When Nathaniel realised what he was doing, admiring her while she was sleeping, he quickly turned his back against her hoping that it would stop whatever he was thinking. **It's practically stalking**, he thought,** stop it Nate**, **you know she's beautiful and yes it is natural that you find her attractive**, **but it is no excuse to be creepy**. But this did not stop his thoughts for her: how mysterious she was, how mesmerising she was, the way she spoke and the way she moved, anything that she did only attract his attention even more.

Suddenly he heard the girl mumble something, so he turned to check on her. Contradicting her earlier peacefulness, her eyebrows were folded together and she was biting her lip while her eyes remained shut. **A bad dream**? Nathaniel was slightly confused and worried, as her expression displayed horror and fear. She then moved her hands next to her ears and her body started to curl up, while her breathing started to become more and more rapid and heavy. **She's panicking**, he thought, **no matter what she's dreaming**, **it must be from her memory**.

"Stop it! Please, stop!" Her voice became louder, and her face twitched even more. It was starting to scare Nathaniel, but he did not know what to do. She started screaming, "Don't! Don't do it, Blake! Please, don't go! _Stop_!"

**Right, that's it**! Nathaniel jumped up and held down both side of her shoulders, "Wake up, Hayleigh!" He shook her aggressively while trying not to hurt her, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "It's just a dream! Calm down, _wake up_!"

"No…_ Blake_?" She opened her eyes; Nathaniel could see that at that moment she was holding her breath, and tears were falling from her eyes. "Aidan? Blake? What?" She was still out of breath, but her breathing slowly became regular and calm.

Nathaniel let go of her, as he was afraid it was hurting her, "No, Hayleigh, it's me, Nate." He said gently, trying to calm her down more. But since that she had evidently slowed down her heart rate, he showed his relief. "It was just a bad dream, you were yelling. But nothing is here is going to harm you, okay? Who are Aidan and Blake?" **Whoever they were**, **they must have been important to her**, he thought, **otherwise she would not have a reaction like this**.

Hayleigh sat up, and quickly looked around, "Nate… That's right. It was… Just a dream, I can't change what happened to them." She repeated quietly, "Just a dream… Just a dream… Deep breath, Hayleigh…"

"That's it, keeping breathing." Nathaniel took out a handkerchief, "You want to talk about it? There, let me wipe those tears for you."

When he moved his hand towards her face, he realised that the tears falling from her right eye, the eye that was poisoned, were a weird thickened black liquid mixed with a bit of red and green. As he puzzled, she quickly turned her head away, "No, wait, don't touch it." She took the handkerchief from his hand, and rearranged her hair immediately so that he could not see the eye or the tear, "It's poisonous. If you're not careful you'd get infected."

"Even the tears are poisonous?"

"Technically the poison is in my entire system, but it's at most concentrated around my right eye. Though the poison is now diluted and weakened compared to Andariel herself, it may still be lethal." She said, looking away from him as if she was ashamed, "My apologies if I have woken you up. Deckard Cain never said anything about it so I assume it has never happened before."

Nathaniel wanted to comfort her, but he was not sure how. It was the first time he saw such expression on her face, and he was surprised at her vulnerability. "It's okay, I was awake anyway. You've mentioned you sleep light so it would be natural to sleep talk." He said the first thing that entered his mind, "And for people like us who have seen so much horror, tragedy and death, it is understandable that at times they come back to haunt us in our sleep."

It was true. Nathaniel personally had experience of nightmares about the deaths he had seen over the past few years. The unnecessary and excruciating details, the realistic and unbearable sound of screams and cries… He could see the scenes replaying repeatedly in his mind as if he was watching it again and again. Therefore he could easily imagine how tortured she must be, being so young and having been through so much more than one would ever wish to.

"Right…. Yeah. Just like how your mind wants to make sure you never forget." He saw her eye quickly glance at him, but within a blink she was looking down again, "Is it time to pack? I hope you slept well before my sleep talking began."

"It's a bit early, but we can start anyway since we're both awake."

Of course, Nathaniel was extremely curious as to whom Aidan and Blake were, and what had happened to them; but he knew full well that the girl was changing the subject as a sign that she was not willing to discuss her nightmare and her vivid reaction to it. **Maybe another question for Deckard Cain**, he thought, **her brother that she kept talking about**? **Her past companions**? **Her lover**? **All of above**?

Nathaniel then realised that he had caught himself within her mysterious past and his curiosity in the matter was perhaps beyond natural. But the man could not help himself: all he could think about was ways to get to know her better, even if she would not spill anything, nor would she answer his questions. **Would Deckard Cain even know**? He then wondered if the elder and the last of the Horadrim, who travelled with her for so long, was able to see through her clever disguise, as Nathaniel imagined that **if the old man could not then what chance do I have**?


	3. Part 1, Chapter 3

Chapter Three

**Halls of Dead**

"So… This is the Halls of Dead?"

Hayleigh's voice was full of confusion and doubt, as they stood before an old arch entry that was almost buried in a mountain of sand. One could see that the carving and the sculptures on the pillars were once great and magnificent; but unfortunately had faded, slowly eroded by the wind of the desert throughout the last two hundred and fifty years, making the pictures and letters difficult to even identify. However, the symbols meaning "Dead" were still clear enough for Nathaniel to be sure of the place, and the fact the strange building in the middle of desert had a complicated lock upon its door way gave away the importance of itself.

He turned his head and watched Hayleigh tilting her head up, trying to read the illegible writings upon the stones at the top of the archway. "Were you expecting something different?" He laughed at how adorable and simple she looked, like a small child trying to figure out the clouds, "It's not like this is a public and common tourist spot. Most people are scared of walking skeletons and mummies."

She gently folded her eyebrows, while still trying to read the carvings. Nathaniel figured she might understand the ancient language that was once upon the stones, "I know that, it's just… I thought it would be grander than this. I mean, it has a pretty grand name, don't you think? 'Halls of Dead'?"

"I just think it has a pretty horrible name." Nathaniel shrugged, which attracted a giggle at his answer, "To enter you need solve this puzzle. I think." He pointed towards the square carvings on what looked like the door. It appeared to be a slide puzzle, with space for nine pieces but with only eight pieces available and each piece had some sort of pattern on the surface, suggesting one must slide the pieces until the patterns matched up.

He then looked at her hoping that she was solving it, but she was already looking at him, "What? Why do _I_ have to solve this puzzle?" She said, while putting on an innocent and clueless face, which Nathaniel was sure to be on purpose, "It's not my fault that the ancient Horadrim liked to make things really difficult for everyone."

"Well, you are a sorcereress, aren't you meant to be smarter than most people?" He replied, as he was not willing to lose this mind battle, "And it is you who need to enter the hall. Besides, from what I know of you, if only it was fair, I'd bet my life against yours that you can solve it faster than I can."

He heard Hayleigh make a "tsk" noise.** I was right**, **for once**,** even if it about her being smarter than me**. As Nathaniel celebrated a little in his mind, the girl stared at the puzzle for not more than a minute before saying, "Twenty one moves. It should show a symbol that will tell us which stairs to follow. I did my brain work, now it's your turn to use your muscles."

"Hang on, _stairs_? You didn't mention that earlier." Somehow Nathaniel could not believe that was his first reaction to her sentence, as the girl just solved the complicated puzzle within seconds. "Where do these stairs leads to? And where would the cube be?" If he remembered correctly, before when she was showing him the documents from Deckard Cain, it involved only one map and some translations of ancient languages which Nathaniel could only half read.

"Oh, did I not mention it before? My apologies." She said, while instructing him the moves to solve the slide puzzle, which kept him busy from commenting on her sarcasm, "The first level has seven different stairs but only one leads to level below; the second level has seven different pathways but only one leads to the next stairway. If the wrong stairs or path was taken, each one leads to a deadly trap. Lucky for us, all we need to do is follow the symbol when you completed this puzzle."

"Pretty sure you left that detail out." Nathaniel looked back at her with irritation. Not only did she not explain that earlier, she also seemed to enjoy watching him doing the heavy work. "Remind me next time that I have to ask for important details."

Hayleigh put on her classic sarcastic smile, which Nathaniel both hated and adored at the same time, "C'mon, they were unnecessary details; you wouldn't need to know if you follow my instructions correctly without being an idiot." And before Nathaniel could even reply to that, she continued in a patronising tone, "The cube, on the other hand, is located all the way down on level three, the most complicated level of all in terms of the maze, through one of the seven different doors. But you don't need to worry, as we have a map for it. Okay?"

The slide puzzle was surprisingly heavy in Nathaniel's mind; perhaps it was the dust and the sand within the cracks that created more friction, but the stones did not look half as heavy as they felt when he was moving them across each other. **They sure like to make it **_**really**_** difficult, the bloody Horadrim**, even if Nathaniel understood their purpose he could not help but curse the mages that designed it.

"I just noticed, those stones on the puzzle are made of volcanic rock that must have cooled quickly from hot magma, but judging from the patterns of the material such rock had to come from the snowy mountains up north." While Nathaniel was sweating from labourious work, Hayleigh seemed to be fascinated, "It is clever because it will not fade away easy from the dry wind and sand, like the ones that made the pillars; but not only is it rare, it is also hard to imagine how difficult it must have been to carry all these rocks this far. Do you not think it's interesting?"

"Honestly?" Nathaniel started to wonder what her mind was made of; it seemed to work fast, but at times it would jump randomly which confused him, not to mention hugely irritating. "I _really_ don't care. All I care is that this material here, rare is it? _It is also very difficult to move_."

Hayleigh gave him another of her classic "alright, suit yourself" looks: raised eyebrows, moved eye and the pout of contempt. If Nathaniel was not already too busy and tired from moving the pieces of the puzzle, he would probably had to restrain himself from strangling her; but as it was, he only had one last move to do.

As he completed the puzzle, a symbol that looked similar to the rune "Tal" appeared. Before they both said anything, the puzzle started to move by itself, causing them to step back as natural reaction. The pieces mixed themselves up, leaving an empty gap in the middle: but unlike before, now the gap was hollow, and the door started to part. Dust and sand fell from the roof, and a dark passage with stairs going downwards appeared on the other side of the door.

As the door opened, it sucked wind from behind them; one could see that the door had been not opened in a long time. The stairs were covered with a thick layer of dust, and they were complete and well preserved unlike the sculptures outside. One thing Nathaniel noticed was the slightly sour and unbearable smell that started to rise from the darkness, which he was sure the girl beside him had too as he heard her whisper with a horrified voice, "What on Earth is that awful smell?"

"Mummies. Corpse. Dead stuff?" He turned to her, "What did you expect? They are not known to clean themselves up and place flowers around while waiting for visitors to arrive." As he spoke he took out a torch and held it front of her.

She rolled her eye and created fire for him, "You're welcome, cheeky guy." She sighed and gently stumped her wand; the big jewel on the top of her staff started to glow with a soft light, and that was the first time Nathaniel noticed the jewel was the centre of an eye shaped pattern. She sighed again, "I think we have a higher chance of dying due to suffocation than being killed by mummies."

Nathaniel thought as the man of the couple he should take the first step down. As his foot carefully landed on the step, it almost sank into the thick layer of dust; if they move too fast, the dust could end up in their lungs, which would only be bad. "I expect you to have remembered what I told you about killing the undead?" He said and he heard his voice echoed in the darkness.

"You said quite a lot, and it was windy so I didn't hear all of it; but I think the key is to cut off their heads, right?" Nathaniel heard the heels of her boots hitting the stones that made the stairs. He was not sure how long the stairs are, but it felt like it was going on forever into oblivion.

"It's best to freeze them then shatter their body, that way they cannot reform themselves. As for the mummies, watch out for the poisonous smoke as they fall; it is only dangerous when such gas is concentrated and fresh, as it neutralises quite quickly with air. But if it gets inside your body, it will stay in your bloodstream and-"

"I think we don't need to worry about the poison department, as my blood is probably more poisonous than theirs." She interrupted him with a chuckle, "By the way, do mummies burn well? Or should I use lightening to destroy them? I'm not very good with swords and chopping off things."

Finally the stairs ended and they arrived in a dark corridor. Apart from the smell, there was nothing at all; completely silent except the noise of their breath and the echoes of their steps in the darkness. Because they were deep below the ground, the place was cold but without any flow of air. The name did it justice, as for here there was no sense of life in the slightest in the place. "I guess… We will find out." Nathaniel said slowly as his instinct told him to worry, which was never a good feeling.

As he hesitated, Hayleigh walked past him and started to lead, "Let's not waste anymore time now, come on." She said lively without nerves, as if she was relaxed. **She probably is relaxed. I guess she has been through places that were even more horrific**, Nathaniel wondered how she did not display any hint of fear, **but seriously**, **is she not scared of death**?

It was not long before they met the first set of stairs. Like before, the light only could shine on the first few steps, but where they lead was pitch black; they felt a weak wind coming from below, and it was filled with coldness and horror. Upon the arch of the entrance, there was a mark. "Is it too much to ask for the first stairs to be the right one? I guess I was a fool to believe the Horadrims would be that nice to us." Nathaniel heard Hayleigh sighed, "Strange, Deckard Cain seemed like a good man. Why couldn't the original Horadrims like that?"

"Maybe Deckard Cain is secretly evil." Nathaniel looked around with the torch, checking if there was anything behind them or any traps around, "He just fooled you with his white beard and his low, hoarse voice. He told you that you need a key to get to Tal Rasha's tomb, but he actually knew the secret backdoor and just doesn't want to share, because he thinks we should work for it."

He then felt an odd stare from Hayleigh, "…I don't even know how to reply to that one; it's _that_ weird of an idea to say." She said with a tone that expressed her confusion while moving forward, "Just… _Huh_? How did you even come up with that?"

Nathaniel shrugged behind her, "Maybe I've spent too much time with you it's making me a psycho too." He then heard her giggle, which he was glad about as there was a slight chance that she might have reacted with unhappiness.

But her giggle stopped very soon, along with her footsteps. She moved back slightly due to instinct, but only to back into Nathaniel's arms. He was a bit surprised, as he had not felt fear from her; it was almost if this was her natural reaction and that she used to seek protection from someone else. **Perhaps it was her brother**, he thought, **she talks about him a lot**, **and consider she mentioned he was older**. **It makes perfect sense**.

Nathaniel soon realised that this was not a good time to start wondering again, as there were several mummies moving towards them slowly. They were thin and dry as time had eroded and drained all the flesh and liquid that was once in their bodies; the bandages that were wrapped around their figures were brittle and blackened, weakened by age. Though they moved tardily because of the restrictions of movements that the bandages created, their desperate hunger and their murderous desire were not easy to escape.

From what they could see from the sources of light, there were eight of them, but Nathaniel was sure that there are a few more at the back hidden in the darkness, where the light could not reach. "Alright, decapitate, and watch out for the smoke from their bodies." He said to her, but in some ways he was also telling himself as it had been a long time since he last faced them, "They move slow, but they are likely to accelerate when they are close and ready to attack. So just-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Hayleigh had already cast multiple fireballs targeting the ones further away, causing them to combust and light the surroundings while the flames burnt down whatever was left of their bodies. "I think they burn pretty well, wouldn't you say?" She asked, while taking a few more steps back, "I will need time to cast spells and to recast as I need to re-concentrate. So, seeing this is a corridor, the best strategy is that you do your stuff with your sword and shield at front to protect me, while I cover you from behind and from long distance, agree?"

He was again shocked at the fact she considered strategies for both, instead of letting them fight individually like last time with the Saber Cats. But considering the availability of space and their strengths, such strategies were indeed the best and the quickest method to end the battle. "Have you fought with a swordsman before?" He asked, while drawing the Atlantean from its scabbard. The fact she said immediately "the best strategy" meant that she knew plenty, which suggested it was very likely she had experienced a similar style of combat.

"Is it just me, or you are getting smarter? Ah, maybe you've spent so much time with me already it's making you brighter." She said, while casted a frozen orb into the enemies. The orb exploded and froze whatever its fragments hit; making it much easier for Nathaniel to slice off their heads as their motions were temporarily disabled due to parts of their bodies being covered with ice. "My brother was a swordsman, though he wielded another sword with his left hand instead of holding a shield."

With the Atlantean's incredible sharpness, even ice would not shatter when the blade cut through it with ease. Ice also ensured that as they fall, the poisonous gas trapped within their bodies would not be released before it melts, and judging from the temperature of this dark hall it should take a while. "That makes sense. Was your brother as good as me?" Nathaniel said as he took down another two mummies with one move. As he finished the ones that were disabled through Hayleigh's magic, it gave her enough time to repeat the same spell to the next batch of upcoming mummies.

The pair of them working together allowed them to move relatively fast past the obstacles. "Not to brag or put you down, and with complete honesty, my brother was better than you." She said as she followed his steps but maintaining the distance, "I don't know if you know or heard of that old man, but apparently he was quite famous in the Knights of Westmarch. Sheldon Fydidrin?"

"You mean the _Great Champion_ Sheldon Fydidrin of Westmarch? Are you kidding me? Not only have I heard of him, I was required to learn his heroic success and the wisdom within his strategies. He was one of the best swordsmen of the century! _Seriously_?" Nathaniel nearly choked when he heard the name; he knew that she grew up in a residential village that must be filled with heroes and the elite, but never did he thought that she grew up surrounded by real-life legends, "Sheldon Fydidrin trained your brother? I can't believe this."

She casted another fireball and shot it far so they could see further, "Wisdom? The old man was always talking about how he just improvised and never really thought that much. 'Always depend on your instinct,' he kept telling us, 'that is the greatest wisdom of all and is what will save your arse.' Which I bet was not what you read in your textbook." She seemed to be unimpressed with Nathaniel's admiration towards the great champion, "Anyway, he was one of my brother's teachers, but my brother beat him at a duel when my brother was eleven. In his defence, he was old… Like sixty, maybe? Can't really remember, I was seven then."

While Nathaniel vomited a little in his mind, he also saw the next set of stairs and the symbol upon its archway. Fortunately it was the stairs they were looking for, which surprised him slightly as he thought the Ancient Horadrim would torture them further. He gave a thumb up to signal the girl that was behind him, who then threw another frozen orb to freeze the mummies that were further down on the other side, allowing Nathaniel to get rid of them and stop them from trailing down the stairs.

As they were walking down another long stairs that felt like it was never going to end, Nathaniel still could not believe that her brother was trained by one of the best paladin he knew, not to mention her brother was good enough to defeat him at such a young age. "This is ridiculous. Are you and your brother some sort of… Monsters?" He said with both exclamation and incomprehension, "I dare to even wonder who your teachers were… If Tal Rasha wasn't already dead, he'd be my first guess. What's your brother's name? Maybe I've read about him as well."

He then realised he never asked it before, nor had Hayleigh ever said. Within these two days that Nathaniel had known her, it was clear that she loves her brother very dearly as she mentioned him several times; but not once did she reveal his name or explain why she uses past tense when speaking about him. Judging from that, Nathaniel was more convinced that her brother had passed away, which must have hurt her so much. Perhaps he could be the reason why she wanted to be a hero, or perhaps all these heroic acts were related to her brother's death.

"I doubt it, he rarely shared his name, even with those he helped and rescued. It's how we do things when we travel, as we wanted to keep a low profile; just like you've never heard of my name before I introduced myself, even though you knew that a hero had slain Andariel." She replied a few moments after the question was asked, but Nathaniel was not sure how long she paused as he was not concentrating, "But he was truly magnificent, so perhaps you've heard about him and tales of his brilliance, but the stories and news will never have his name in it."

"Why would you want to keep a low profile if you travel to do heroic things that deserve songs and poems written about you?" Nathaniel thought before that she wanted to be a hero, and therefore disliked her immediately for it. But she was right, as the news of Andariel's death had reached them long before her arrival in Lut Gholein, but it was not until then he discovered the name of Andariel's Slayer; which also suggested that she had a different purpose to do all these dangerous quests.

While she was considering her answer, they reached the hall of the second level. Unlike the level above, this level started with seven different entrances that all went in a different direction. Upon each entrance there was a symbol, which marked the path they needed to take even if one could already feel the chill by just looking into the darkness within the corridor.

"We had our reasons, but also because a high profile means trouble." It was then Hayleigh answered his question, "From what I understand of it, fame only attracts envy and judgement that were misplaced, or creates pride and greed that could corrupt-"

She suddenly paused. It was an odd place to stop the sentence. Nathaniel turned his head to check on her; it was clearly displayed on her face that her mind was somewhere else, but wherever it was Nathaniel could see it was not a good place.

"Hayleigh?"

It was worrying Nathaniel, but after he called her name, she momentarily closed her eye before looking back at him with strength and focus in that dusk coloured eye of hers, "that could corrupt even the purest heart of all. It's within our nature without exception; and though I too might be tempted and degrade one day, the only thing I could do is to avoid it for as long as possible."

"Speaking like a true wise woman, or a prophet." It was strange to hear those words from her, as she was so young… not to mention she looked younger, to be this abnormally mature and realistic. Maybe it was her upbringing that made her so; after all she was an unusual case, so it would be natural for her to have such a distinctive personality. **Maybe**, as Nathaniel could only guess. "Was there one of those living in your village? Because I won't be surprised if there was; if anything, I'll assume you copied those words from them, which will only make me feel better about myself. Actually, don't answer; I _will_ just assume that."

Hayleigh laughed; it was then Nathaniel realised how much it made him happy when he hears her laughter. "You are funny, which is surprising as you came across stubborn and boring at first… No offense."

"I think you've already offended me enough that it doesn't even matter anymore." Nathaniel quickly replied, "But I guess it's alright. I pre-judged you badly too."

"…That's nice to hear. I'm glad we're honest with each other." Hayleigh sounded though sarcastic yet also confused as if she felt unsure. She also displayed her lack of interest in such matter. She hesitated a few moments before spoking again, "I… I recognise the name Al'keen, and I recognise that shield too; your father was a stubborn man, which is why I thought you might be too."

He was not sure what he felt the moment she said the sentence; perhaps it was shock, or maybe it was emptiness. Whatever it was, it felt like a stab in the heart. It was impossible that she had met his father; however it was very likely that someone she knew well had, as for his father was though not a hero, but… infamous.

Nathaniel found himself unable to discover any word to say but to stare at Hayleigh. She looked back at him with the big eye of hers, somehow with guilt, care and respect all at the same time, "Did it not occur to you that if I can recognise The Alantean, I'd be able to identify Moser's Blessed Circle and the jewels upon it?" She said, like she had studied it in great depth off documents before, "It used to belong to the Marshal and Champion of Westmarch, Arrganiel Al'keen. The shield is made from a material that no longer exists in the world - that is so light yet incredibly strong; the jewel upon it enhances its defence against magic, and the patterns shown the legacy of Moser."

Nathaniel could not believe it never even cross his mind: when she spoke about The Alantean, the only thought Nathaniel had was that he was surprised on how sharp her eye was and the knowledge of the sword; he then assumed that perhaps she read it somewhere as for the sword was famous, as he knew the a sorcereress must be intelligent and well-educated. And when she revealed that she grew up from a residential village of retired Westmarch heroes, Nathaniel only thought of envy and admiration of her fortune. Never once did he thought that her knowledge of weapons came from those knights who knew all about it, and that she would also recognise the shield he was carrying even though she identified the unique sword within a glance of its handle and its case.

She then continued with a gentle voice, but in Nathaniel's ear each word sounded like a sharp needle scratching iron. "You join the Order of Zakarum of Kurast instead of Westmarch because not many people there would recognise the name; you knew about the colour of the honey in Westmarch because you lived there as a child, until your mother took you to Lut Gholein after your father's execution-"

"_Enough_!" He finally could not bear it anymore; he did not know much about his father as for his father died when Nathaniel was only seven. Growing up all Nathaniel had heard of his father was the shameful thing he had done, the mistake he made due to his stubbornness which led to many deaths and his execution for disobeying a direct order; which resulted with the exile of his family from Westmarch. "I don't need you to remind me of him, or of who he was. I am _nothing_ like my father!"

He said with aggression, as it was what he tried to prove since the day he saw his father's head landed on the floor, and the true reason he wanted to become a hero: to bring glory to the family and cover the shame of the name. Such ambition, however, led to the death of his sister. Nathaniel hated his father, and he hated whenever someone mentions his father. And he hated the fact that this hatred cost him the lives of his family.

"No, wait, Nate, that's not what I'm trying to-"

Before Hayleigh could finish her sentence, Nathaniel's anger had filled his mind. He put all the frustration and rage into his fist, and aimed at the wall beside him. This cause the brick to immerse into the wall, and immediately after there was a series of tickling noise, which travelled all the way down the corridor. Next thing they know, within the echoes, several skeletons had fell from the ceilings, some from the wall; each carries a weapon of some sort and a sense of unfriendliness as they walk towards the pair with a fast pace.

Nathaniel felt Hayleigh's stare upon himself, but he could only blame himself for triggering the trap. "This is just great. I officially _hate_ the Horadrims." He mumbled, as he curses himself and whatever he could think of that was evil. But no curse or regret can save them now, so he sighed quietly and prepare for battle.

Like before, Hayleigh moved behind him with a few step back and threw a fireball into the enemies; but unlike the last time, the fire did not affect the skeletons as they walk straight through it without trouble or damage. "Okay, they don't burn so well." She laughed nervously and her words shook slightly, "Nate, how do I kill skeletons again?"

"We will need to shatter them before they will burn, as only then is the magic which holds them together disabled." Maybe it was the adrenaline from the sudden danger, or the fact that for the first time he felt needed by Hayleigh, Nathaniel had lost all the anger within his heart and he had forgotten his thoughts from moments ago. He said calmly, "If you freeze them, I can shatter the ice with the sword still in the scabbard and my shield. Though do it quickly, their movements are much faster than the mummies as they were once soldiers."

Hayleigh immediately fired a frozen orb without another word. However, even with parts of their bodies frozen, some skeletons were still able to move with a slower speed instead of being disabled like they desired. Nathaniel could not complain, as he knew that those skeletons were far more deadly than the mummies, and that the Ancient Horadrims were never going to make things easy.

"You said you know lightening magic before," After smashing one or two skeletons that were closer to them, it reminded Nathaniel of her words earlier as she entered the Halls of Dead, "how good is your lightening skill?"

"Erm, I'd say it's alright. Why, would that work on skeletons?" Hayleigh answered with curiosity, but Nathaniel could feel that she was desperate to gain confidence again after her fire magic had failed to stop the enemy approaching.

"What do you mean by 'alright'?" As much as Nathaniel could understand that one cannot simply measure the ability of magical skills, but such a vague answer did not really satisfy him at all, "It will work on them, as lightening will scatter their bones and break down their structure. Are you good enough to not hit me?"

Hayleigh cast another frozen orb to aid Nathaniel's attack, which also saved him as it froze a skeleton whose sword was already inches away from his shoulder. He then heard her say cheerfully, "You know what they say, there's only one way to find out."

"Huh? What? Wait!"

Her reply gave Nathaniel a fright, causing him to turn his head to look at the girl. But it was already too late; as his eye moved upon her stuff, it shot out a bright light that quickly moved pass him, and before he could work out what just happened, the horizontal lightening had jumped from one skeleton to the next. A second after, when the light disappeared and his vision recovered, a large number of skeletons had collapsed on the ground with their bones laid on the floor. Nathaniel was unable to tell which bit of bones belonged to what and where they were meant to be on one's body.

"Are you _insane_? You could've _killed_ me!" He shouted with both irritation and relief, "And next time if anyone ask you about your lightening skills, just answer 'good' because I am certain that chain lightening is a difficult spell to master!"

Hayleigh almost fell as her knees were so weak, but she used her staff to keep her standing and she rested to regain her energy, "You already knew I'm insane; pretty sure you've repeated it several times already." She said with a tired smile; obviously such powerful magic must have drained her energy fast, which Nathaniel understood. "Well at least it worked. Besides, I was never going to hit you; just playing with you, that's all."

What he did not understand was her last few words. "J_ust playing with me_? Can you not see these skeletons with swords and knives or are they just all part of my imagination?" He said while laughing a little because of her joke that made him both mad and delighted.

She had yet to catch her breath, "If I say the latter, would you believe it?"

"No. You know why?BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY ATTACKING US."

He liked the way Hayleigh could still make jokes even when danger was near, to cover her nerves maybe, or to cheer him up; and the influence she had over him, that could change him from one mood to another within seconds. Two days ago he was a cynical man who had such pessimistic views, it made him give up on the world and its hope; now he found himself a different man, who wanted to be needed, and who wanted to figure out this mysterious girl.

"I am glad you got my humour there." Though Hayleigh looked yet to recover fully, she seemed well enough to cast once again as another frozen orb flew past Nathaniel and slowed the motion of the upcoming force. The chain lightening was powerful enough to have destroyed most of the skeleton army and the orbs slowed the rest, making it easy for Nathaniel to defeat the last few and dispose of the danger.

Hayleigh quickly walked towards him, passing and stepping on the bones of those that once threatened them. Nathaniel was surprised at how relaxed she was when she did so, as for most people the idea itself could make one feel sick with disgust. "I can see the stairs down now," She then said, "it's not far. Let's just try not to trigger anymore traps for the rest of… a hundred steps."

"Wait," He stopped her quickly by grabbing her arm, which is when he realised just how thin it was as it felt like holding nothing at all, and the fact his fingers would contact his thumb before even fully touching her smooth but cold skin. "You need to set those bones on fire as it's the only thing that could destroy them, and the only way to ensure they don't wake again one day."

It was easy for her; the fire brought them warmth but it quickly died as the shattered bones were not much to burn. "To be honest, who will be here even if they wake again?" She moved on without looking back, "As I'm not willing to visit this place again once our purpose is done here."

"I don't know, maybe for when we walk back after we are done here?" Nathaniel said sarcastically, which he was then surprised about as he could not believe he had caught her sense of humour already.

And it seemed that Hayleigh noticed that too, "I thought you hated my sarcasm?" She said with a smile, "Though you shouldn't blame me; blame those 'heroic knights' that were cynical because of old age."

As she spoke they reached the stairs. Like the two previous ones, this one also looked like it had no end and was filled with nothing but creeping darkness. "It's contagious." Nathaniel said honestly, "If getting used to it means becoming it then let it be, as I have to take you to Sand Maggot's Lair and Vipers Claw's Temple before I have a chance to retire from the role of your guide."

"True. I bet you can't wait." She simply said, but this time Nathaniel was not sure if it was sarcastic or not; since that was the case, he decided not to reply to avoid misunderstanding. After a few more steps down into this endless stair case, she spoke again, "I'm sorry to have angered you earlier; it was neither my intention nor my wish. I just thought that I should explain why I had the wrong ideas about you at the start, and I was hoping you could forgive me for such foolish and horrible prejudice." She then laughed with irony, "Which, I guess didn't go so well…"

Her words stunned Nathaniel again, for he had forgotten all about that conversation before she brought it up; and it did not occur to him at the time that she was explaining to apologise, because for the past eighteen years he was ashamed of his father's action, which made him sensitive about the matter. He was afraid that people would look down on him based on his father's infamous story, and he did not want Hayleigh of all people to despise him for it.

"I know that you might not want to hear this, but please listen before you get angry again." She said quickly so he could not interrupt, though he did not want to anyway, "I have read of his tale, that he was great and glorious – otherwise how could he have received that shield in the first place? However, from what I've understand of him and what I've known of you, I think you should know that I honestly believe-"

Hayleigh paused a few moments, before saying with softness and compassion, "You are like him, Nate, but you are better than him. Please always remember that, for if ever anyone would look down on you, then they are just simply foolish like I was."

Those words, those then words; **you are like him**, **Nate**, **but you are better than him**. Those words were the dearest thing anyone had ever said to him, and perhaps the words he had always wanted to hear the most. He felt like Hayleigh knew that too, as he felt she had saw through his heart; but her voice was so sincere and honest, letting Nathaniel truly believe that she spoke from her heart.

"Did…" He felt his eye water slightly, but he held it in by saying, "Did Fara tell you to say this? Because it is unlike you to compliment me."

He heard her laugh gently, "I may be cynical and sarcastic, but like I said yesterday: I have a heart too." She held her stuff a little higher as they had reached the level below, which was also the final level, "I just thought the carrier of that beautiful shield should not be ashamed of its previous owner. It is the 'blessed circle' after all, and you can't enjoy your blessing with hatred in your heart. At least that is what I've heard." She then added, "Though I do hope you accept my apology soon, as it will be quite awkward for the rest of the journey if you keep being angry at me."

Nathaniel subtly dried his eyes while she was taking out the map of the maze from her bag. "To tell the truth, the fact you would admit that you were foolish is enough for me. I may hold that against you for a while, in case you verbally abuse me again." He helped her unroll the map and held it up to look, "Speaking of surnames, you haven't told me yours?" As he was about to think of something to say about it, he realised he did not remember it as she had never told him.

Hayleigh moved her eye from the map onto his face, "I don't have one, because no one knew anything of our parents or where we came from. But they gave us one anyway; maybe to remember the man that brought us there, or hope that we'd grow up to be angelic and good." She said, with each word sounding so clear, "Dikoriel, after the Angel of Trust, who was thought to be the kindest angel of all."

"Hayleigh Dikoriel? It's a nice sounding name."

"Thanks, but it is not often I use it." Hayleigh said, while putting away the map, "Not only is it unimportant, it is also not my true surname. I prefer to remain just Hayleigh, as that's the true name I have been carrying since I can remember."

They started walking into the maze, "I guess it's more important to those that lived in your village, as their names have history and will carry down a legacy." Nathaniel said, "Was it just old people living there? You've yet to mention anyone but old ones… Or should I say, aged heroes."

Her eyebrows momentarily twitched, but it was so fast Nathaniel was not sure if it was just his imagination. "Yeah, pretty much. There were only three of us growing up, all of us orphans. Apparently the village was great to hide orphans, for example, the guy who was…" She said, though looking like she was reluctant to continue, "He, erm, he was an Antiloni."

That name was familiar to Nathaniel; actually, familiar was an understatement, "Antiloni? The great archer family of Westmarch that was found mysteriously and brutally murdered overnight? I thought there were no survivors and even infants and children were heartlessly killed." It was a big event in the history Nathaniel had to study: the House of Antiloni was very well respected for they had many heroes from the family throughout history; but even now, the motive and murderers responsible for this massacre that happened twenty years ago were never discovered.

"There was only one, and he was adopted by a friend of the family that lived in the village, to hide him and shield him from whoever that might be after him. He was only a year younger than my brother, so growing up we were very close." She said with a smile, but Nathaniel was not sure if the sadness within it was natural or something else, "He was a great archer, of course, it ran in his blood; but he did not want to seek revenge even after the elders told him the tragedy of his family, because he didn't want to live for rage and hatred. In fact, he was quite a comedian; though if you're not used to my sarcasm, you would definitely not get his sense of humour."

Again Nathaniel picked up the fact she used past tense, like she did when talking about her brother. But while he was deciding whether to say anything about it or not, they had reached a stone door with the mark they're looking for. "Well, this is the place." He said while holding up his torch to reveal more of the door. Though it looked sealed with no cracks between the door and the wall, Nathaniel recognised the method to open such entrance through its structure and design, "The door was closed through magic, but it should open once we push the middle brick with the symbol on it-"

"Wait!" Just as Nathaniel's hand touched the square brick, Hayleigh quickly stopped him with a yell, which made him jump slightly, and echoed in the darkness surrounding them. "The script said the cube is guarded by an army of the undead, so we should probably step back before we open it."

Nathaniel took out his sword while looked at her with irritation, "Please could you tell me those important details _before_ we enter a place next time? So at least I would have _some_ idea of what's going on."

Hayleigh replied with her eyebrows raised, "I just did, didn't I?"

**I'll never win, will I**? Nathaniel sighed and pushed the brick, and the door slowly slid upwards as it opened. But before Nathaniel could see what was inside the room, arrows already flew towards him and he only blocked them with his shield through natural reaction. However, due to the size of his shield, he was unable to cover all parts of his body, therefore though none had hit him, a few cut him as they flew past with one that was so close to his head that it cut his cheek.

As the wound on his face started to drip blood, he quickly stepped to the side of the door to hide from the next attack, and saw Hayleigh already on the other side which helped her escaped the previous fire of arrows. "Don't look at me like I didn't warn you." She said immediately as Nathaniel thought about it, "Were they undead archers or just a trap device?"

Even though Nathaniel did not see the attacker, he could tell by the arrows that were left on the wall across, "Definitely archers. And judging from how deep it is into that stone wall, I'm guessing really powerful skeleton archers too." If it was not for his shield being stronger than most materials, the arrows may have just gone through and killed him; this caused him to fear slightly, especially since his head only escaped by a few inches, "I'm guessing there will be other armed skeletons in there too. Did it say on the script of how big such an 'army' is?" Nathaniel could not read the ancient text on the script when he glanced at it earlier, but was not surprised that Hayleigh could.

Her eyes moved to the top right corner, showing that she was trying to recall, "I think it just said 'a few' were created to guard the secret cube. Not sure how many 'a few' was in olden day text though."

"That sounds just great. There are at least eight archers judging from the amount of arrows and their direction." He wiped the dripping blood off his chin with the back of his right glove, "So I am assuming there will be at least twice as many with melee weapons. However, I don't think I can dodge all the arrows to get inside, so any bright ideas?"

He was hoping that Hayleigh would find a suitable strategy by now, but he found her to have just staring at one of the arrows she picked up from the floor, which Nathaniel blocked and must have flown towards her, "Those arrows… They are Soldiers of Radament." He heard Hayleigh made a 'tsk' noise and sighed gently, "Likely to be immune to cold, fire and poison. My chain lightening would work, but I would need to see all the targets before casting."

"Wait a second, who or what is Radament? And how do you know that by just looking at the arrows?" Before Nathaniel started to think about how to aid her lightening magic, he was both curious and confused to the source of her knowledge.

Hayleigh glanced over him before turning her head away, "I was a close friend with the last of the Antiloni, remember? Apparently arrows are a good tool to identify enemies and their abilities." She then said, "My chain lightening can only hit up to nine targets at once, and it will take me at least ten seconds to recast the spell; so if you are right about the numbers, I will need your help to buy me some time."

"Time is easy to buy, but may I ask you how to get pass those archers first?" Nathaniel pointed at those arrows upon the wall, "I'll be honest here, I am not entirely confident in dodging all of those next time."

"No? That's a shame. I was hoping that you could." Hayleigh said sarcastically which made him smile, but luckily she did not see as she was looking at the arrow in her hand. As Nathaniel wondered, the arrow started to levitate and float in mid air approximately a few inches above her palm. "I can temporarily disable the arrows, but not for long. How long would you need?"

Even if Nathaniel had heard of the magic of telekinesis before, it was still phenomenal to see it before his own eyes; the caster could momentarily move objects with their mind, though only objects they have seen and, or touched, and the range is restricted to their sight. However, he also knew that the caster could not cast other spells during the use of telekinesis, which meant that Hayleigh would be defenceless. "Can you cast that many difficult spells continuously?" Though he was more than impressed with her abilities and powers, he expressed his concern, "Wouldn't that drain your energy ridiculously fast?"

She dropped the arrow, "I can, and it would. But I need to avoid you getting shot, so unless you have any other ideas?" Her big, pale blue eye stared intensely at him, and Nathaniel could not think of anything to say. "Thought not." She then quickly said, "Alright, this is what's going to happen. As soon as I can see the arrows I can use telekinesis to stop them and change their directions. But here is the catch: I need you to trust me, and to step in front of me when we enter, to protect me from melee soldiers which I predict will emerge from the sides."

Nathaniel nodded to the plan until he suddenly realised what she was asking him to do, "Hang on, you want me to step in front of you? What if I blocked some of your vision and you didn't stop _all_ the arrows?"

"Then you better believe I will." She simply said, "Because the melee soldiers are likely to come from both sides, leaving the middle free for the archers. We need to work together here. As soon as I'm allowed to use telekinesis, we need to split up; seeing you're right handed, you take the left side. This will split the archers' attention which gives me an opportunity to use chain lightening; but I can't guarantee to finish all of them in one go, so I hope you can avoid one or two arrows just in case?"

Since Nathaniel could not come up with a better strategy, he had no option but to agree. **Believe her**, he held his breathe and raised his shield as they exchanged the look of readiness. Hayleigh lifted up her left hand and signalled _one_.

Nathaniel swallowed as he prepared himself to face an attack. His life would to depend on a fraction of a second.

_Two_. He grabbed his sword tightly, **pray to it**, Nathaniel remembered Fara said to him, **and it will give you power when you need it most**. **Well then**, **please give me the strength and the luck now**, **the Atlantean**.

_Three_.

They both turned at the same time. Immediately he could see the skeleton archers firing the arrows, and the arrows flying towards them with an incredible speed; at the same time he could see soldiers with knives and swords emerging from the sides like Hayleigh predicted.

Nathaniel swore everything happened within a second. As he blocked the first skeleton soldier with the shield on his left arm and shattered the spine of another with his sword, he saw out corner of his eye that the arrows were near. Just as he thought Hayleigh had failed to use telekinesis, the arrows changed their directions when they were only a few inches away from his face. The arrows flew directly into the crowd of skeletons approached from the right side of the room, and instantly destroyed several of them as the arrows shot through their bones. Immediately as the arrows turned, a bright shot of lightening appeared and hit the archers before they could even reach for more arrows, and the lightening jumped back towards Hayleigh to eliminate two skeleton swordsmen whose blades were close to her face.

"Still one more!"

Nathaniel heard her shout as a heads up, which allowed him to block the incoming arrow with his shield immediately. He stepped back to her side to protect her while she recovered from the delay of spell caused by its energy drain. "You sure you only need ten seconds?" He noticed her panting quite loudly, and since he could hardly hear her breath normally it raised his concern.

"Why, do you need longer than that?" As she spoke Nathaniel saw her using the end of her staff to penetrate a soldier that was before her through its spine. As the skeleton fell, she caught the sword which belonged to it with her left hand and used the blade to cut off its head. Nathaniel was impressed with her close combat skill as she looked weak and feeble, but her movements were quick and fluid like she was well trained. **Maybe she is**, Nathaniel thought, **but seriously**, **is there anything she can't do**?

However, he noticed something odd in her movement; it was almost like that she knew exactly what to do but did not have the strength or the power to execute perfectly, or even completely. "If I were you, I'd stop staring and stop getting distracted!" Hayleigh shouted at him before he realised a sharp blade was flying towards his neck. He dodged the attack at the very last moment, but it gave him a good opportunity, as the skeletal swordsman was wide open for his finishing move.

As he pulled out his sword, he used his shield to block another attack from his left, while he changed the sword to be held backhanded and cut through the spine and ribs of the skeleton soldier on the right; the move allowed him to use such force to spin and shatter the attacker he blocked with his shield. Conveniently, as he spun the shield knocked off another skeleton's arms and weapon, and it was more than easy to just kick the soldier on its hip bones to shatter the body.

As he turned to Hayleigh he glanced round and estimated the number of enemies that were still active, and fortunately it was enough for all to be disabled if Hayleigh were to cast another chain lightening. However, as his eyes landed on Hayleigh, he realised the girl was more tired than before and would probably need to rest for a few minutes before casting a spell, if she could cast at all.

After such thought just flashed through his mind, he saw two skeleton swordsmen were about to attack her simultaneously; and before he even thought about anything, he had already rushed up to block the attacks for her with both his shield and sword. He was surprised at his natural reaction and how quick he was, and he saw Hayleigh looking at him with the same shocked expression.

But the girl had very quick reactions; she used this moment to cast one last chain lightening and a bright bolt jumped from one skeleton to another, collapsing all the skeletons that were left in the room surrounding them and left a radiant ring around them for a second before it faded away quickly.

He heard the girl suspiring and fell to her knees due to the weakening of her legs, but Nathaniel's reaction was fast enough to catch her before she landed on the floor. "You must be exhausted." He said with both admiration and sympathy, "As to how you could have cast two chain lightening and such powerful telekinesis within a minute is beyond me, not to mention I had no idea you are skilled in melee combat. Seriously, did you spend your entire childhood years learning how to fight or something?"

Hayleigh smiled tiredly; even then she was very beautiful, and Nathaniel could not take his eyes off of her. "Pretty much. That or play board games with the old people, though sometimes we did pull pranks on each other." She said while using all of her remaining strength to stand up, getting out of his arms, "I used to be stronger, but Andariel's poison made me a lot weaker than I thought."

"Wait, you can rest for a bit first; don't force yourself. It's not like I can make fun of you, considering I have never cast three very powerful spells in a row before." Nathaniel tried to stop Hayleigh as she used her staff to support herself while moving slowly towards the chest at the end of the room.

"I recover and regain my energy fast, due to the… erm…" She did not finish her sentence, but Nathaniel thought that was because she was still out of breath. Before he realised, she was already in front of the chest which was decorated with many ancient symbols and beautiful patterns, and it was locked with a slide puzzle that was like the one at the entrance, only smaller and made of metallic material.

But, as she put her arms out to reach for the chest, suddenly the sculpture on the wall behind the chest moved with such speed that Nathaniel could not see its movement. And before he could say anything, the sculpture had bent over the chest with its two sharp blades cutting through air and landing in front of the chest, crossing where Hayleigh's hand was.

Nathaniel gasped and felt his heart stop momentarily


End file.
